Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja‘s rearguard performance salvaged India in the first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, with both allrounders unbeaten at the end of the first day’s play at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. At stumps on day one, Team India were at 339 for 6, with Ashwin (102 not out) and Jadeja (86 not out) looking strong after an unbeaten 195-run partnership. Bangladesh failed to maintain their momentum after picking up six wickets in the first two sessions of day and ended up conceding 163 runs in the third session, failing to get a breakthrough.
Coming to the crease in the 43rd over, Ashwin was quick to smash a few boundaries to keep off the pressure. Jadeja helped the 38-year-old as the two eased into a solid partnership. Jadeja too kept a good strike rate and Bangladesh bowlers couldn’t keep up the pressure.
India crossed the 300-run mark in the 73rd over after playing 439 balls. Ashwin’s sixth Test hundred came in the 78th over. It was also his second ton at his home ground.
The entire dressing room, including the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and head coach Gautam Gambhir, stood on their feet to praise the century.
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A stellar TON when the going got tough!
A round of applause for Chennai’s very own – @ashwinravi99
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— BCCI (@BCCI) September 19, 2024
In the first two sessions of the day, the hosts struggled and lost quick wickets. Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s fifty helped steady the innings to some extent. He scored a gritty 56 off 118 deliveries.
At Tea, India were at 176 for 6 with Ravindra Jadeja (7*) and Ravichandran Ashwin (21*).
The post-lunch session resumed from 88/3 with Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant on the crease. Pant was dismissed on 39 by Hasan Mahmud and it was his fourth wicket.
KL Rahul came to the crease and scored 16 and was dismissed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz when the score was 144. At the same score, Jaiswal was dismissed after scoring 56 runs which came with the help of nine boundaries. After Jaiswal’s departure, Ashwin joined Jadeja and both of them built a partnership of 32 runs at Tea.
Other than Mahmud, Nahid Rana and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took one wicket each.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to bowl in the first Test of the two match series that started on Thursday.
Both teams decided to field three seamers each, given the overcast conditions that promised assistance for the fast bowlers.
Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud was the standout bowler in the first session. Utilizing the conditions masterfully, claimed all three wickets, consistently troubling the Indian batters with his movement and accuracy.
Both captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli were out cheaply scoring six runs each. Rohit and Jaiswal opened the Indian innings, and at the close of the first session, the hosts were 88 for 3. Jaiswal, unbeaten on 37, and Pant, not out on 33, were at the crease, having steadied the ship after the early blows.
(With ANI Inputs)
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