Centuries from the overnight batters Rishabh Pant and Shubhman Gill, and three wickets from the wiley old spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have put the Men in Blue into a commanding position on Day 3 of this India vs Bangladesh Test Match in Chennai. It was another clinical display by Team India after they had a fantastic Day 2 of the 1st Test Match in Chennai. Have a look at how Day 3 went for both teams.
The First Session of Day 3 of India vs Bangladesh Test Match Was a One-way Traffic for the Men in Blue
Day 3 of the first India vs Bangladesh Test Match started with overcast conditions. However, overnight batters Rishabh Pant and Shubhman looked assured and played shots whenever they found a loose delivery. Shubhman Gill clobbered two sixes off one over bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and went on to complete his half-century. Soon the pair notched up a 50-run stand as Gill drove it to long-on for a single. After the first hour, the pair went aggressive by smacking Bangladeshi bowlers. Rishabh Pant played his usual one-handed six off Miraz. Soon he raised his fifty in his comeback Test Match as he flicked one into the square leg for a single off Miraz. Shubhman advanced down the track on the 46th over of the game to hit a six over wide of the long-on boundary.
India Took Full Advantage of the Hapless Bangladeshi Bowling Unit
Bangladeshi bowlers looked clueless as the left-hand, right-hand combination didn’t allow them to settle into any sort of rhythm. Shakib was introduced into the attack, however, Rishabh played a reverse sweep off his very first ball to hit a boundary behind the wicket. He continued to play his shot no matter where Bangladeshi bowlers pitched the ball. Rishabh bent down on one knee to hit a six in the fine-leg region off the bowling of Hasan Mahmud, raising smiles among the Indian camp. The next over saw Shubhman advancing down the track to hit a boundary on the off-side field, leaving the bowler Shakib Al Hasan bemused.
What’s worse, Shanto dropped an easy catch off Pant who was looking to send it to the stand. The left-hander miscued it completely, but a reprieve for India and frustration for Bangladesh as India’s score reached 193. In the last over before lunch, Pant hit two back-to-back boundaries off the experienced Shakib. The first one was hit into the square leg, the other one was hit straight down the ground. India climbed to 205 for 3. A wicketless session for Bangladesh as India yielded 124 runs in 28 overs. Shubhman Gill and Rishabh Pant scored 86 and 82, respectively, till lunch.
Pant, Gill Continued to Slaughter in the Second Session of Day 3 of India vs Bangladesh Test Match
Rishabh Pant and Shubhman Gill continued to slam Bangladesh bowlers after the lunch session. Pant, in particular, opened his shoulders against spinners Shakib and Mehidy. Soon the wicketkeeper-batter registered his sixth Test hundred. However, he was out caught and bowled off the bowling of Mehidy. Rishabh scored 109 off 128 balls, slamming 13 fours and four sixes. After a few overs, Gill also registered his fifth Test hundred. KL Rahul who came to join Gill after the fall of Pant started hitting boundaries at the other end, allowing Gill to settle down.
While these two looked comfortable, Bangladesh felt restless as their fielders continued to misfield, obviously showing signs of tiredness after being on the field for over 60 overs without much success. Gill continued to slam spinners for sixes by dancing down the track. India declared at 287 for 4, setting a victory target of 515 for Bangladesh in more than two days. Shubhman Gill remained unbeaten at 119.
Openers Shadman and Zakir Started Well in the Second Innings on Day 3 of India vs Bangladesh 1st Test Match
Zakir Hasan hit two boundaries in the first over off Jasprit Bumrah. Shadman soon opened his account by hitting a boundary square on the off-side off Mohd. Siraj. Zakir Hasan went full throttle in the sixth over by pulling Siraj for a six and two fours. The score read 33 for no loss at the end of six overs on Day 3 of the India vs Bangladesh 1st Test Match. Both openers took Bangladesh to 56 for no loss at tea. While Zakir Hasan hit five boundaries and a six to register 32 off 38, Shadman showed exemplary defence and application to notch 21 off 40 balls, hitting two fours.
India Struck Early in the Third Session on Day 3 of India vs Bangladesh Test Match in Chennai
Jaspirit Bumrah once again delivered when it mattered by removing the settled Zakir Hasan who played an uppish drive, which went flying to the left of Yashasvi Jaiswal at the gully region. Zakir hit 33 off 47 balls. Bangladesh’s score was 62 for 1 at the end of 16.2 overs. Bangladesh Shanto came to the crease and showed his aggressive instincts by slamming Ashwin for the maximum at long-on. Both Shadman and Shanto looked settled and determined to get the scoreboard ticking along. However, Ravichandran Ashwin removed Shadman Islam who was caught by Shubhman at short mid-wicket.
Shadman tried to flick it behind square, but the ball held up a bit on the surface, inducing a top-edge. Shubhman dived in to take it inches from the ground. Bangladesh lost both their openers at the score of 86. Mominul joined his skipper Shanto and took the side beyond 100 on Day 3 of India vs Bangladesh Test Match in Chennai. Shanto slammed Ashwin again for a huge six at the deep long-on boundary. He went shimmies down the track to get to the pitch of the ball and hoisted it deep into the stands. A few overs later, he reverse-swept Ravindra Jadeja for a boundary. In that over, Momimul went back to hit a boundary behind square on the off-side.
Mominul, Mushfiqur Were Dismissed in Quick Succession to Leave Bangladesh Reeling at the Close of Day 3
However, Mominul departed soon as Ashwin got one to slide past his bat to hit the off stump. Bangladesh were reduced to 124 for 3 in 30 overs. If not for a sloppy work by Siraj at deep square leg, Bangladesh would have lost the wicket of Mushfiqur Rahim who flat batted a sweep shot, which went up in the air. However, Siraj was slightly slow in responding to the opportunity. He put in the dive but failed to even get a fingertip. The ball rolled away to the fence for four.
Mushfiqur swept Ashwin for a six in the following over. It was rather a confident stroke from the veteran. However, he was out next ball as KL took his catch inches off the ground. The Shanto-led unit was looking down the barrel at 146 for 4 on Day 3 of India vs Bangladesh First Test Match. Shanto, however, registered his half-century by slamming Ashwin for another six, this time into the deep square leg region. Both Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan took Bangladesh to the close of play on Day 3 as bad light stopped play. Bangladesh reached 158 for 4 in response to the victory target of 515.
Stay connected as we bring to you live action of Day 4 tomorrow.
