Afghanistan pace bowler Mohammad Saleem hit back with two wickets before lunch on Sunday but India pushed on to 475-6 on day two of the one-off Test in New Chandigarh.
Washington Sundar, on 14, and debutant Manav Suthar, on nine, were not out at the break after India added 107 after resuming on 368-3.
Rishabh Pant fell for 81 after losing his overnight partner, captain Shubman Gill, for 126 as Afghanistan took three wickets in the morning session.
The pair had put on 169 for the fourth wicket before Saleem had Gill caught behind with a delivery that held its line.
He then bowled Dhruv Jurel for 19, his fourth wicket of the innings, to leave India 452-5.
Wicketkeeper Pant had added 31 runs to his overnight score and was eyeing a century when he was caught at long-off attempting a big hit off Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi.
It could have been so much better for Afghanistan had they not repeatedly failed to make good use of the umpire decision review system.
Gill, who was 103 not out overnight, had moved on to 108 when he was struck on the pads by pace bowler Azmatullah Omarzai.
He was given not out out and Afghanistan did not review. But ball-tracking technology indicated the ball would have hit the leg stump.
Pant, on 54, survived the next ball after Omarzai sped one past the edge with technology showing it had feathered the bat after Afghanistan again decided against a review.
It was the third referral mistake by Afghanistan, who did not review an appeal for caught behind on the first day when KL Rahul was on 16.
Rahul would have been out, but went on to make 100.
fk/dh
