Ashwin’s century revives India’s grip on the game.

Noman Shahid

Ashwin brought up his sixth Test hundred and his second at Chepauk

Ashwin brought up his sixth Test hundred and his second at Chepauk.

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 Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fifty, India were reduced to 144 for 6 at one stage, which was largely due to Hasan Mahmud’s incisive bowling. But 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.

Nahid Rana’s pace presented fresh challenges but Rishabh Pant returning to Test cricket after nearly two years, settled in by finding boundaries. Pant and Jaiswal put together a steady 62-run partnership, with both players scoring regular boundaries and rotating the strike well. Rana’s pace was to Pant’s liking while Jaiswal took on Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a couple of boundaries. Pant had a couple of nervous moments before the lunch break. 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.

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.

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. 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 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.

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 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. 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, 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.

Brief scores: India 339/6 (Ravichandran Ashwin 102*, Ravindra Jadeja 86*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 56; Hasan Mahmud 4-58) vs Bangladesh.

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