If it wasn’t for the resilient partnership of 195 not out for the seventh wicket, between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, the story for Day 1 of the Chennai Test against Bangladesh could have been a lot different. Especially after a top-order debacle, which saw India go three down in the opening hour of the match. And fans gave a stern reminder to that poor batting session after Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill were spotted joking with head coach Gautam Gambhir during Ashwin-Jadeja’s recovery act.
Under the overcast morning sky and on a seam-friendly condition, Bangladesh invited India to bat first and their decision proved to be right after Hasan Mahmud removed captain Rohit Sharma, Kohli and Gill within the first 10 overs.
Rohit edged the length ball from Mahmud to second slip in the sixth over to depart for six off 19. An over later, Gill, in an attempt to play the flick shot, got an inside edge to the leg-side delivery, and wicketkeeper Litton Das completed a comfortable catch as the India No. 3 was dismissed for a duck. 11 deliveries later, Kohli needlessly chased an outside-off ball to hand Litton another easy dismissal.
The top-order debacle left India in a precarious spot, and the side failed to recover even after a fifty-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant as Bangladesh snared three quick wickets after lunch to leave them at 144 for six.
Amid India’s recovery, through the record 195-run stand between Ashwin and Jadeja, the highest partnership for seventh wicket or below for India against Bangladesh in Test cricket, Kohli and Gill were seen uncontrollably laughing with Gambhir in the dressing room, and the sight did not leave fans on social media happy.
Following KL Rahul’s dismissal to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh were a wicket away from assuring themselves of folding India for around a 200-run total. But Ashwin and Jadeja had other plans. The right-hander, who celebrated his 38th birthday two days back, and his most certainly playing his last Test match at home ground, went off the blocks with a flurry of boundaries, a firm validation of his oh-so-smooth timing born out of fluent hand movement through shots and precise footwork. Ashwin’s aggressive start rubbed off on Jadeja, who showed no mercy to the spinners.
Eventually, Ashwin notched up his sixth Test century, second at home and the fastest in his career, while Jadeja got to his half-century knock as India reached 339 for six at the close of Day 1.
