Ravichandran Ashwin created history on the first day of play in the series opener between India and Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai with the sixth Test century of his career. Ravichandran Ashwin is among the greatest Test bowlers of all time with 516 wickets while having an incredible record with the bat with 20 50+ scores (6 centuries).
Pitch and Toss
Pitch Report : It was a day very unlike to what we were used to in Chennai – very cool at the moment at 28 degrees, but as the day progresses, it promised to be 33-34 which will be like the Chennai we all know. As we speak about the pitch, it’s a red soil pitch. And what does red soil mean – bounce, turn and as the game progresses, the big spinners come into play. They have left a little bit of residual moisture underneath the pitch. So the fast bowlers will have their say at the start.
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hasan Shanto won the toss and chose to field with 3 fast bowlers and 2 spinners in the playing XI. India skipper Rohit Sharma batting first also had 3 fast bowlers and 2 spinners to his playing XI .
Day 1 : Morning Session : Pant, Jaiswal steady India after Hasan Mahmud 3 wicket burst
Hasan Mahmud made early dents into the Indian batting before Yashaswi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant were involved in a half-century partnership to lead India’s recovery in the opening session of the first Test in Chennai. After Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl in overcast conditions, Mahmud delivered an excellent start, picking up three early wickets. Jaiswal and Pant, through their unbroken 54-run partnership, helped India to 88/3 at Lunch on Day 1.
Taskin Ahmed delivered a couple of superb balls early on to Jaiswal, generating both bounce and movement to beat the outside edge. He also got one to sharply nip back into Rohit Sharma. The Indian captain survived a Bangladesh review when Mahmud struck him on the pad with an incoming delivery, with the umpire’s call saving him.
The moisture in the pitch gave the seamers plenty of assistance as they continued to trouble the Indian openers. Rohit opened the boundary count with a drive past point off Mahmud and Jaiswal soon followed with a flick for four off Taskin.
The partnership was broken when Mahmud got one to move away from Rohit, who edged to Najmul at second slip. Jaiswal responded by taking on Taskin, hitting two boundaries with a cover drive and a straight drive. However, India suffered another blow when Shubman Gill was caught down the leg side off Mahmud for an 8-ball duck. Virat Kohli, playing Test cricket for the first time since January, started steadily but chased a wide delivery from Mahmud, edging it to the ‘keeper for 6. India was left reeling at 34/3 within the first hour.
Nahid Rana was the first change bowler and he tested the Indian batters with his pace and bounce. Pant, returning to Test cricket after a gap of close to two years, got going with a cut shot over backward point off Rana. Mahmud, meanwhile, bowled an extended first spell, continuing after the drinks break, and consistently troubled the batters with his probing lines. But there was one loose delivery on the pads of Jaiswal which the opener put away for a boundary to help India to the 50-run mark.
Rana’s pace was to Pant’s liking as he dispatched a full ball through covers and played an authoritative pull for a couple of boundaries. Pant and Jaiswal also rotated the strike well as they scored at a fair clip, with the latter taking on Mehidy Hasan Miraz in his first over for two fours.
Pant took on a short ball from Taskin which landed short of the fielder. Pant cracked a boundary through the off side off Mehidy before getting an outside edge off Taskin but the ball landed short of first slip, where Shadman Islam reacted late, and went to the boundary to bring up the half-century stand.
The overcast sky only reassured the sides it was worth risking batting last in India. Then a Vernon Philander-like, wobble-seam line-and-length bowler, Hasan Mahmud, wrecked the top order with gentle seam movement. India recovered briefly from 34 for 3, thanks to some ordinary bowling around Mahmud, but Bangladesh came back in the second session to take three more quick wickets.
Yashaswi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, playing his first Test in nearly 700 days, then added 62 for the fourth wicket against some indifferent bowling. Jaiswal made this his sixth straight home Test in which he has gone past 50. Pant began to look dangerous and by lunch India had wrested the initiative.
Day 1 : Post Lunch Session : Regular strikes keep India in check before Tea
Hasan Mahmud led Bangladesh’s fine bowling performance in helpful conditions as they chipped away regularly to ensure India’s batting didn’t fire in the first two sessions of the opening Test in Chennai. Although Yashaswi Jaiswal (56) was involved in good partnerships with Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, Bangladesh sustained the pressure and reaped the rewards as they left India at 176/6 at Tea on Day 1.
Bangladesh’s bowlers kept it tight, conceding only 88 runs in each of the sessions, although their over rates weren’t impressive as they bowled only 23 in the first and 25 in the second.
After a good recovery in the second half of the first session, India suffered another setback soon after Lunch as Mahmud bagged his fourth wicket by dismissing Pant for 39. After playing a cut shot for a four, India’s wicketkeeper-batter attempted another but was late as he got an underedge which ended the fourth wicket stand worth 62.
Jaiswal walked down the track to Mahmud to score a boundary that helped India past 100 but he was also beaten outside off twice in an over by Mahmud. KL Rahul got his first four with a classy on-drive off Nahid Rana and there were also some boundaries via extras as the bowlers erred on a few occasions.
The pitch still offered assistance to the pacers and there was also a bit more pace as Taskin went past Jaiswal’s outside edge. But the left-hander didn’t miss out on scoring opportunities as he crunched a cover drive for a four off Taskin en route to his eighth fifty plus score. Rahul batted watchfully at the other end and was selective with his shot-making as he helped build a steady partnership with Jaiswal.
The stand, however, ended two short of fifty as Jaiswal push at a short of length delivery from Rana and edged it to first slip. Rahul fell soon after, with Zakir Hasan holding on to a good catch at short leg off Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s bowling.
Ashwin and Jadeja struck a few boundaries as they helped India past 150. Mahmud found the outside edge of Ashwin’s bat in the final over before Tea but the ball went in through the vacant third slip region for a four. Ashwin and Jadeja extended their partnership to 32 before the break.
Earlier, after Bangladesh opted to bowl, Taskin Ahmed went past Jaiswal’s outside edge a couple of times early in the first session, and also got one to nip back into Rohit Sharma. The Indian captain narrowly survived a review after being struck on the pad by Mahmud, saved by the umpire’s call.
With moisture in the pitch aiding the seamers, Rohit and Jaiswal were consistently tested but managed a few boundaries to relieve some pressure. The partnership, however, ended when Mahmud got Rohit to edge one to second slip. India were in more trouble, reduced to 34/3, as Gill fell for an 8-ball duck, caught down the leg side, and Virat Kohli got an outside edge to depart, with Mahmud doing all the damage.
First-change bowler Rana posed a fresh challenge with his pace and bounce, but Pant, back in Test cricket after nearly two years, found his rhythm with a boundary over backward point. In a long spell, Mahmud continued to test the batters, though Jaiswal capitalized on a rare loose delivery to bring up India’s 50.
Rana’s pace was to Pant’s liking as he struck a couple of boundaries and put on a good stand with Jaiswal. The opener took on Mehidy in his first over for two fours before Pant had a couple of nervous moments. He hit a short ball from Taskin which landed short of the fielder before getting an outside edge off the same bowler but the ball landed short of first slip, where Shadman Islam reacted late. The ball went to the boundary to bring up the half-century stand.
After lunch, though, Pant fell to an afterthought of a cut shot, a stroke of luck for the persistent Mahmud. Taskin and Rana then chipped in with a much better session. The ball still seamed around, although not as much as the first session, and they presented a sterner test by bowling the good length. Rana eventually did Jaiswal in with extra pace, nicking him off, and the serene-looking KL Rahul fell to a stunning catch by Zakir Hasan at short leg.
While Mehidy Hasan Miraz might have got that big wicket of Rahul, the spinners generally failed to provide any control to the Bangladesh captain Najmul Hasan. In effect, he never had a complete attack to operate with. Mahmud kept them in single-handedly in the first session, and when the other quicks got their act together, they didn’t have spinners keeping them fresh.
It is easy to say all that, but at 144 for 6, it takes some doing to expose this lack of depth. Ashwin began that as soon as he walked to huge cheers; in fact the cheers started as soon as Rahul fell, a treatment reserved only for batters preceding Tendulkar and Kohli. He got a single first ball, and then punched the pace of Rana for a four second ball.
Day 1 : Afternoon Session : Local Boy Ravichandran Ashwin’s blistering 100 and Ravindra Jadeja steer India to 339 for 6
An excellent century from Ravichandran Ashwin led India’s fine comeback on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh. Ashwin (102*) and Ravindra Jadeja (86*) were involved in a record partnership for the seventh wicket, helping India move into a position of strength after being forced on the backfoot in the first two sessions.
Despite Yashaswi Jaiswal’s fifty, India were reduced to 144 for 6 at one stage, which was largely due to Hasan Mahmud’s incisive bowling. But Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja led a fine counterattack as they put on 195 in only 227 balls to take India to 339/6 at Stumps on the opening day.
India managed only 88 runs and lost three wickets in each of the first two sessions but the urgency displayed by Ashwin and Jadeja, who scored 20 fours and 4 sixes between them, helped the hosts come out on top, as they got 163 runs in the final session at a rate of over five an over. Bangladesh were poor with their over-rate, managing only 23 and 25 overs in the first two sessions, and could only bowl 32 overs in the final session on Day 1, that too after the extra 30 minutes were used.
Bangladesh made early inroads after electing to bowl, making the most of the helpful conditions for the pacemen. Taskin Ahmed tested Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma in the opening session and the latter narrowly survived a lbw review off Mahmud’s bowling, with the umpire’s call saving him.
But Rohit couldn’t last much longer, edging one to second slip as Mahmud struck the first blow. Shubman Gill followed soon after for an eight-ball duck, caught down the leg side, and Virat Kohli got an outside edge to the ‘keeper, with Mahmud inflicting all the damage and reducing India to 34 for 3.
However, Mahmud continued to trouble the Indian batters, dismissing Pant for 39 just after Lunch with another crucial breakthrough, ending the promising stand. A watchful stand between Jaiswal and KL Rahul ensued, with the former reaching his fifty, but couldn’t build further. He got an outside edge off a short of length delivery from Rana which ended a 48-run stand. Rahul also fell soon after, caught at short-leg off Mehidy, leaving India in further trouble.
Ravichandran Ashwin then came out with a positive intent, dealing in regular boundaries on either side of Tea, with Jadeja supporting him well from the other end. Jadeja struck a six off Mahmud in the final session to get India going and used the review to reverse a lbw decision off the same bowler, with replays revealing an inside edge.
Ravichandran Ashwin then got two fours off Mahmud to raise the half-century stand, and Bangladesh also lost a review going upstairs for an lbw decision. Shakib Al Hasan came into the attack only in the 53rd over and he was greeted by Jadeja with a four while Ravichandran Ashwin nailed a slog-sweep for his first six. Jadeja then struck a six off the left-arm spinner in similar fashion and followed it up with two boundaries.
Ravichandran Ashwin brought up a 58-ball fifty and the 100-run stand was raised off only 114 deliveries. Ashwin collected two more fours, playing a ramp shot and a glance off Rana. The regular frequency of boundaries, along with the singles and twos, frustrated the Bangladesh team.
Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s and Zaheer Khan’s 133-run partnership, in 2004, to register India’s highest seventh wicket stand against Bangladesh. Jadeja then brought up his fifty and put away short balls from Mehidy for a couple of boundaries.
A lovely cover drive by Jadeja off Rana extended the partnership past 150 before Ashwin sent a Mehidy delivery over the fence to power India past 300. Ravichandran Ashwin got into the 90s with a cut shot for four off Rana before Jadeja clubbed Mehidy for a four and a six. On 95, Ravichandran Ashwin was fortunate that the edge off Shakib’s bowling went wide of slip for a couple of runs. He went on to bring up his sixth Test hundred – and his second in Chennai – before Jadeja entered the 80s with a four off Shakib ahead of Stumps.
There have been many rescue acts carried out by Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja, but none so emphatic. There was some flair to how Ravichandran Ashwin batted, staying on the back foot, meeting balls at the top of the bounce, and crashing them through covers and square leg. Jadeja played more of an old-fashioned knock, opening up only after getting himself in, but never missing out on a scoring opportunity. Ravichandran Ashwin, though, batted like he had never been out of Chepauk.
As the ball got softer, as the runs began to flow, the field had to spread, and the spinners kept providing easy boundaries. At various points, the two had looking at each other in awe. When Ashwin ramped the pace of Rana over slips for four, Jadeja looked like he was fortunate to have the best seat in the house. Ashwin returned the compliment at one flat slog-sweep from Jadeja. If the edge did arrive, Bangladesh had lost any rights to have enough catchers in place.
Six minutes before stumps, Ashwin got to his hundred in just 108 balls to send the home crowd into raptures. Jadeja celebrated it with a drilled boundary back over the bowler in the same over to enter the 80s. Just a gentle reminder that it wasn’t all over, and Bangladesh will have to face them again on day two.
Road Ahead on Day 2 for IND and BAN
From 144/6 to 339/6, it’s been an excellent recovery from India thanks to this unbeaten 195-run partnership between Ashwin and Jadeja. On an overcast morning and a seam bowling friendly surface, Bangladesh opted to bowl. Hasan Mahmud removed Rohit, Gill and Kohli inside the first hour. Jaiswal and Pant stitched a fifty partnership and Mahmud came back to nip out the latter. Up against a disciplined bowling attack, Jaiswal batted patiently to notch up a half-century before he was worked over by Nahid Rana.
KL Rahul fell in the very next over and India were in a spot of bother. That’s when the spin twins joined hands to bail their team out of trouble with the bat. Ashwin was quick to get off the blocks, played some exquisite shots and batted fluently to record his second Test hundred at his home ground. Jadeja too scored at a brisk rate and Bangladesh couldn’t put any sort of pressure on the duo.
After picking six wickets in the first two sessions, they ended up conceding 163 runs in the final session without getting a breakthrough. India will be the happier side at the moment and it’ll be interesting to see how the pitch behaves as the match progresses. Bangladesh’s over-rate was poor today and they’ll hope to make early inroads with the second new ball.
On Day 2 There was so much swing on offer, there was enough seam movement on offer, there was enough spice to keep everybody interested. Weather – we are starting at 30, it’s going to get hotter as the day progresses. With the heat, we saw what happened in the last session. It was very easy to bat on, runs came in a flurry. Today at the start, the new ball will be taken by the Bangladesh team and they’ll make use of the conditions which is considerably different to last morning which had a lot more juice for the fast bowlers.
If India get through the first half an hour, we can expect a big score from both these batters and probably the lower order can chip in as well. For the moment, Bangladesh have a massive task ahead of them because they need to make the new ball count. The spike marks are a bit more exaggerated.
This pitch will not break up through the middle, you’ll find work happening from the footmarks, it’s going to be tougher for the batters coming in from the footmarks but through the middle it’s going to be rock solid and good to bat on at least for the first three days. There is a little bit of moisture, lesser than yesterday morning. It should be a superb day for batting.