At the completion of play on the exciting opening day of the India vs. Bangladesh Test match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India rallied from a perilous position to reach 339/6. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin both produced amazing comebacks on the day, putting on an undefeated 195-run partnership after India had collapsed to 144/6 in the first inning.
Bangladesh’s Dream Start
Bangladesh’s choice to bowl first seemed sensible given the cloudy and seamer-friendly circumstances of the morning. In the first session, Hasan Mahmud was the most impressive player with the ball as he demolished India’s top order. An hour later, Bangladesh had reduced India to 36/3 thanks to major wickets taken by Virat Kohli (8), Shubman Gill (12), and Rohit Sharma (3). India first faltered under Mahmud’s scorching spell, which was bolstered by Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nahid Rana’s disciplined bowling.
Jaiswal and Pant Steady the Ship
Following their early defeats, new players Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant started to regroup, forming an important 50-run combination. On a challenging pitch, Jaiswal showed perseverance and reached his half-century, but just when it appeared like India may rally, both fell to Bangladesh’s reliable bowling. After Jaiswal went at fifty and Pant was dismissed for thirty-one, India was at 144/6, and Bangladesh appeared to be in charge.
Ashwin and Jadeja to the Rescue
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed control of India’s innings at this crucial point. Ashwin, on his home ground, displayed his prowess with the bat as he finished Day 1 on 102* from 112 balls, which included 10 boundaries and two sixes. With 10 fours and two sixes in an impressive 86* off 117 balls, his companion Jadeja played a solid hand.
The pair frustrated the Bangladeshi bowlers by putting on 195 runs for the seventh wicket together, putting India in a commanding position. Their collaboration turned the tide in their favor and saved India from impending tragedy.
Bangladesh’s Bowling Attack
With his early breakthroughs, Hasan Mahmud stood out as Bangladesh’s top performance, finishing the day with 3/58. In addition, Mehidy Hasan Miraz made a significant contribution with the ball by dismissing KL Rahul for sixteen runs, while Nahid Rana’s bowling efforts helped restrict India’s middle order.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, will lament the possibilities lost to sever Ashwin and Jadeja’s alliance, which now poses a threat to India’s pursuit of a dominant total. On Day 2, the visiting team’s task will be to swiftly end India’s innings and provide their hitters with an opportunity to contribute on a field that is still giving the bowlers plenty to work with.
Looking Ahead to Day 2
Day 2 is fast approaching, and India seems well-positioned to amass a substantial first-inning total. India may want to get a lot of runs because Ashwin and Jadeja are established at the crease and the surface is probably going to dry up more. In contrast, Bangladesh will require early wickets to stop India from dominating the match.
After a challenging start, India is now in a strong position thanks to Ashwin’s century and Jadeja’s cool-headed knock. Tomorrow will be an entertaining day of Test cricket.
