Chennai: India’s opening-day heroes Ravichandran Ashwin (113) and Ravindra Jadeja (86) couldn’t inflict too much more damage on Bangladesh on Friday but that didn’t come in the way of the home team moving into a commanding, match-winning position at stumps on Friday.
Ashwin and Jadeja fell for 113 and 86, respectively, having added a record 199 runs for the seventh wicket, before India were bowled out for 376.
Jasprit Bumrah & Co. then went all guns blazing at the opposition batsmen to skittle out Bangladesh for 149 in just 47 overs. That handed India a hefty first-innings lead of 227 runs, which swelled to 308 as the hosts reached 81/3 in their second innings at close.
It was the first time that 17 wickets had tumbled in a day’s play in a Test match at Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk. The previous high in 34 Tests was 15 wickets in a day.
The only jarring note was senior pros Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli flopping for the second time in the match. Skipper Rohit followed up his score of 6 in the first innings by making 5 on Friday, while Kohli managed 6 and 17.
Kohli, though was unlucky. Adjudged leg-before wicket to off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the former captain walked away without taking the DRS review. Replays showed that Kohli’s bat had touched the ball before striking the pads. How he missed that touch only Kohli can explain.
Shubman Gill, who failed to score in the first innings, was unbeaten on a polished 33, and keeping him company was Rishabh Pant on 12.
Despite the sun coming out in all its fury and the pitch being less conducive for quick bowlers, Bumrah (4/50), Akash Deep (2/19) and Mohammad Siraj (2/30) gave Bangladeshi batsmen a torrid time.
Bumrah cleaned up leftie Shadman Islam (2) in his first over, while first-change seamer Akash Deep castled two other southpaws Zakir Hasan (3) and Mominul Haque (0) off consecutive deliveries to leave Bangladesh gasping at 22/3.
When Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (20) and experienced Mushfiqur Rahim (8) were dismissed by Siraj and Bumrah respectively, Bangladesh were tottering at 40/5.
Top-scorer Shakib Al Hasan (32) and Litton Das (22) threatened a fightback with a 51-run collaboration, but both fell trying to sweep the accurate Ravindra Jadeja (2/19).
Bumrah and Siraj came back to polish the tail.
Brief Scores
India 1st innings — 376 in 91.2 overs (R Ashwin 113, R Jadeja 86; Hasan Mahmud 5/83, Taskin Ahmed 3/55).
Bangladesh 1st innings – 149 all out in 47.1 overs (Shaib Al Hasan 32; Jasprit Bumrah 4/50, Akash Deep 2/19, Jadeja 2/19, Md Siraj 2/30).
India 2nd innings – 81/3 in 23 overs (Shubman Gill batting, Rishabh Pant batting 12).
Match position – India lead by 308 runs.
1st Test to continue on Day 3.
