Buoyed by a superb hundred from the local boy Ravichandran Ashwin and an excellent 86 from Ravindra Jadeja, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India piled on 339 for 6 at the close of Day 1 in India vs Bangladesh First Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. It was an excellent comeback from Team India after being restricted to 144 for 6 at one stage. Let’s check out how Day 1 panned out for both teams.
Shanto Won the Toss, Elected to Bowl First in India vs Bangladesh First Test
Overcast conditions greeted India and Bangladesh in the first of the two-match Test Series 2024 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Bangladesh Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bowl first to exploit the favourable bowling conditions for his seamers owing to the moisture underneath the surface.
Even Rohit Sharma acknowledged that he would have done the same thing if he had won the toss. However, India’s skipper emphasised that the team was focused on what was ahead of them. India brought in KL Rahul at the expense of Shreyas Iyer in the middle order, while keeping Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to spearhead the spin bowling department. Whereas India stayed with three fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj and Akash Deep. It was the first Test since winning the five-match series against England earlier this year.
First Session – A 50-50 Battle Between India vs Bangladesh First Test 2024
Bangladesh bowling pair – Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud – kept beating the bat of India’s openers – Rohit Sharma and Yashavi Jaiswal. Finally, they were rewarded as Rohit Sharma edged one to his opposite number Shanto at the second slip off the bowling of Hasan Mahmud. Soon, Mahmud induced edges of both Shubhman Gill and Virat Kohli to wicketkeeper Liton Das. India were reduced to 34 for 3 before Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched a crucial unbeaten stand of 47 to take India to 81 for 3 at lunch. A 50-50 affair in the first session of Day 1 of India vs Bangladesh First Test.
Bangladesh Wrest Control in the Second Session
Bangladesh put India under pressure quickly in the second session of Day 1 of the India vs Bangladesh First Test by removing Rishabh Pant for a well-made 39 off 52 balls. He hit 6 boundaries and shared a 62-run fourth-wicket stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal. India’s scorecard vs Bangladesh read 96 for 4 in 25.3 overs. It was again Hasan Mahmud who provided Bangladesh the much-needed breakthrough.
However, Jaiswal carried on with his stubborn resistance and found an able ally in the form of KL Rahul. The pair added 48 runs before Jaiswal and Rahul were out with the team’s score of 144 in India vs Bangladesh First Test 2024. While Nahid Rana ended a hard-fought 56 (9 fours) from Jaiswal, Mehidi Hasan Miraz scalped a rather tentative Rahul for 16. India were looking down the barrel at 144 for 6.
Session 3 Belongs to Men in Blue
Just as it seemed Bangladesh would romp over Team India came the unbeaten 195-run stand between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin looked fluent from the beginning by scoring at run a ball for the most part of his unbeaten hundred. He hit 102 off 112 balls, slamming 10 fours and two sixes. Whereas Jadeja looked to play the second fiddle for a while before he too joined the act by slamming Shakib Hasan for 18 runs in an over.
Both looked assured in their batting display, getting behind the ball and playing right under the eye. Something batters need to do to combat favourable seam bowling conditions like the one in Chennai. The third session saw the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led unit conceding 163 runs without a wicket in the India vs Bangladesh First Test 2024.
Who is Ahead in India vs Bangladesh First Test in Chennai?
India, undoubtedly, given the tall score of 339 for 6 at stumps on Day 1 of India vs Bangladesh First Test 2024. India’s spin bowling all-rounders Ashwin and Jadeja have taken the Men in Blue to a commanding position from a precarious 144 for 6. Bangladesh would hope to skittle out the remaining batters within 375-400 to stay in the hunt. But that will require some doing.
We will come with Day 2 action tomorrow. Stay connected with zarooribaathai.in.
