'Shikhar Dhawan mistaking Afghanistan Test for SRH nets': Twitter salutes southpaw for creating history

Much of the talk about Afghanistan's Test debut revolved around the fact that India's talismanic leader Virat Kohli would not be playing. Many argued that India was making a mistake by taking the visitors lightly and fielding a weakened XI.

On Thursday, on the first day of the Test in Bengaluru, Shikhar Dhawan made a mockery of any such claim. The left-hander became the first Indian to score a century before lunch as he pummeled the Afghan attack.

Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket that had a tinge of grass. His openers gave the team a memorable start as India went to lunch at 158 for no loss in 27 overs. Dhawan was unbeaten on 104 off 91, while Murali Vijay looked solid at the other end with 41 from 72.

Dhawan was at his sublime best as he knocked the Afghan bowlers to all corners of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. He was particularly severe against his Sunrisers Hyderabad team-mate, and someone who was regarded as the biggest threat for India going into the contest, Rashid Khan.

Dhawan greeted Rashid with three boundaries in the leg-spinner's first over. Later, he smashed 14 runs from three deliveries against the IPL star.

Twitter was in awe of 'Gabbar' and didn't hold back in expressing their admiration for the hard-hitting batsman.

Here are some tweets

And, that's Lunch on Day 1 of the one-off Test with #TeamIndia on 158/0 (Dhawan 104*, Vijay 41*).

Follow the game here - https://t.co/RSfCL2ZQl6 #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/SRUUPws2rs

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 14, 2018

Dhawan seems to be mistaking this for the SRH nets #INDvsAFG

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) June 14, 2018

Shikhar Dhawan becomes the first Indian and sixth overall to score a century before Lunch on first day of a Test.

Others:
Trumper, 1902
Macartney, 1926
Bradman, 1930
Majid Khan, 1976
Warner, 2017#IndvAfg

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) June 14, 2018

Dhawan becomes the first Indian to score a hundred before lunch. A historic Test made even more historic.

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) June 14, 2018

A tricky introduction to Test cricket for Afghanistan. India pile the pressure in the first session, Dhawan hitting a magnificent century before lunch to take the hosts into the first break on 158/0.#INDvAFG LIVE https://t.co/3XQ9WU3iSy pic.twitter.com/DBEpP1rxy5

— ICC (@ICC) June 14, 2018

Brilliant innings from Shikhar Dhawan. 100 before lunch is a top effort. Rashid and Mujeeb just hurrying through the overs and bowling all over the place #INDvAFG

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 14, 2018

What a day for @SDhawan25. 1st Indian to a century before lunch on day 1. Only five before him in history. Reminds me so much of that test in Galle where he got 190 before tea.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 14, 2018

Afghanistan are making their Test debut today. If Americans watched cricket, there would be a big-budget Hollywood dramatization already in the works, because this is not just one of the most remarkable stories in cricket history, but in all of world sport. #INDvAFG

— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) June 14, 2018

Playing XIs of both teams

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Lokesh Rahul, Dinesh Karthik (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.

Afghanistan: Mohammad Shahzad, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Asghar Stanikzai (c), Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Afsar Zazai (wk), Rashid Khan, Yamin Ahmadzai, Wafadar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

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