R Ashwin emerged as the undisputed hero with the ball for India, delivering a stellar six-wicket haul to complement his earlier century in the Chennai Test. His formidable performance, supported by Ravindra Jadeja’s crucial three wickets, enabled India to clinch a resounding 280-run victory over Bangladesh.
The final day dawned with Bangladesh facing an uphill battle, requiring an additional 357 runs to win. Despite the seemingly insurmountable task, opening batsmen Najmul Hasan Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan demonstrated resilience in the first hour of play. Both left-handed batsmen navigated the formidable bowling attack of Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, who tested them with angled deliveries across the wicket. Even as Jadeja unleashed his spin from the other end, targeting the rough patches outside the off-stump, Shanto and Shakib held their ground. This challenge extended not only to the batsmen but also to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who faced difficulties with the unpredictable bounce, even missing a stumping chance off Shakib.
Shanto and Shakib managed to counteract Jadeja’s spin, frequently employing the sweep shot to secure some valuable boundaries in a partnership that yielded 48 runs. Yet, it always felt as though a breakthrough was imminent. The turning point came when Ashwin was reintroduced into the attack and struck gold in his very first over. Shakib inside-edged a delivery that was snapped up with reflexes at short leg, opening the floodgates for India’s bowlers.
With Ashwin and Jadeja operating in tandem, both the inside and outside edges of the bat were tested rigorously. The duo’s relentless spin onslaught quickly dismantled Bangladesh’s batting lineup. Litton Das, initially resilient, found himself nicking a ball to slip off Jadeja.
. Mehidy Hasan then made the ambitious decision to go for a big hit, only to sky a catch to long on, thereby granting Ashwin his 37th five-wicket haul in Test matches, a record that ties him with the legendary Shane Warne. Ashwin continued to wreak havoc by claiming Taskin Ahmed, who top-edged a slog, as the end neared rapidly.
Jadeja fittingly wrapped up the innings by bowling through Hasan Mahmud’s aggressive yet erratic shot, not only sealing the match but also marking his personal milestone of reaching 299 Test wickets. This comprehensive performance handed India a significant 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.
The game saw notable individual performances from the Indian side across both innings. In the first innings, India posted a formidable 376, thanks in large part to Ashwin’s commanding 113 runs and Jadeja’s impressive 86, with support from Yashasvi Jaiswal’s half-century. Bangladesh’s Hasan Mahmud was notable among their bowlers, claiming five wickets for 83 runs. However, India’s declaration at 287/4 in the second innings, driven by commanding centuries from Shubman Gill (unbeaten at 119) and Rishabh Pant (109), set Bangladesh an almost unattainable target.
Bangladesh’s first innings had them all out for a mere 149, Jasprit Bumrah being the chief architect of their downfall with four wickets for 50 runs. Their second innings saw a somewhat better fight, with Najmul Hossain Shanto standing out with a commendable 82 runs, but ultimately, they could tally only 234 when confronted with the lethal combination of Ashwin and Jadeja.
In summary, this Test match perfectly showcased India’s dominance in both batting and bowling departments. Ashwin’s dual contributions—both with the bat and ball—combined with Jadeja’s all-round performance, underscored the depth and versatility of the Indian cricket team. As the series progresses, India’s commanding win here is sure to fuel their momentum, while Bangladesh will need to regroup and strategize if they hope to avoid a series defeat.
Brief scores:
India 376 (R Ashwin 113, Ravindra Jadeja 86, Yashasvi Jaiswal 56; Hasan Mahmud 5-83)
and 287/4 decl (Shubman Gill 119*, Rishabh Pant 109) beat Bangladesh 149 (Jasprit Bumrah 4-50) and 234 all out (Najmul Hossain Shanto 82; R Ashwin 6-88) by 280 runs.