The gulf in class was a reality, but the Test match exposed their inability to understand the needs of the longest format. Their performance lends support to the demands for a two-tier Test format, which could get them battle-ready for future series. With an average first-class experience of less than 15 matches, Test cricket wouldn’t have been easy for Afghans, but if a robust first-class structure isn’t put in place, the idea may just backfire. Every Afghan batsman seemed to be in limited-overs mode without any respect for an aspect called patience, which is an integral component of Test cricket. Courtesy Pandya’s third half-century in Test cricket, India added 127 runs during the first session.

Source: The Telegraph June 15, 2018 21:11 UTC