Mullanpur: Rishabh Pant responded to his critics with an attacking 81 as India moved toward a large total, reaching 475 for 6 against Afghanistan at lunch on the second day of the one-off Test. In front of a small crowd, Pant mixed his usual strokes with restraint, judging each delivery carefully during his 121-ball innings that included six fours and three sixes. He fell short of a century when left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote slowed the ball and induced a catch. Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai bowled well with the second new ball but had little luck. Earlier, Shubman Gill made 126 before being dismissed by Mohammad Saleem, who took 4 for 109. Dhruv Jurel also fell to Saleem. At lunch, Washington Sundar was unbeaten on 14 and Manav Suthar on 9.
