India sat firmly in the driver’s seat at the end of the third day’s play after being set up nicely by centuries from Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. The dynamic duo enabled India to declare their innings at 287/4, achieving a commanding lead of 514 runs with more than two and a half days left in the first Test at Chennai. In response, Bangladesh showcased an improved batting performance compared to their first innings, but still found themselves losing four crucial wickets, with R Ashwin emerging as the chief destroyer.
Ashwin, fresh off a century with the bat, had initially gone wicketless in the first innings. However, as the pitch began to offer more assistance, Ashwin started bowling with his typical guile and precision, ultimately exploiting the conditions to great effect. Yet, before Ashwin’s magic began to unravel, Bangladesh’s openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam managed to put up a solid resistance, crafting a 62-run stand. The pitch initially showed no signs of uneven behavior, allowing Hasan and Islam to drive confidently against India’s new-ball bowlers, Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, unsettling them with some exquisite strokes.
This stand offered Bangladesh a semblance of hope in an otherwise dismal game. However, this was short-lived as Hasan edged a delivery from Bumrah, resulting in a smart catch by Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully. With the first breakthrough in hand, Ashwin began to impact the game with his teasing lines and deliveries that occasionally turned and bounced, posing significant threats to the left-handers. He first got rid of Shadman, who was caught at midwicket, before bamboozling Mominul Haque with a classic off-break that cleanly bowled him through the gate.
Mushfiqur Rahim attempted to counterattack, coming in with aggressive intent. Although he managed to loft Ashwin for a six, his attempt to replicate the shot saw him mistime it and get caught at mid-on. In a daunting chase, Bangladesh found themselves deep in trouble before bad light forced an early stoppage to the day’s play. Despite the reduced overs, India had already secured a dominant position, thanks to the brisk scoring of their batsmen earlier in the day.
The morning began under an overcast sky, with overnight and early morning rains unable to delay the start. Rishabh Pant set the tone for India with an early pull shot off Mehidy Hasan Miraz that raced away to the boundary, followed by another controlled pull off Hasan Mahmud.
. Shubman Gill, on the other hand, started more cautiously but gradually opened up, stepping down the pitch to strike two magnificent sixes off Mehidy, bringing up his fifty in style.
The fifty-run partnership between Gill and Pant came shortly after, further extending India’s towering lead past the 350-run mark. The first hour of play saw India scoring 48 runs in 15 overs, with Pant’s aggressive stroke play complementing Gill’s watchfulness. Pant reached his fifty approximately half an hour into the second hour, taking 88 balls from when he started the day at 12 off 13. The duo adopted a wait-and-watch approach, pouncing on loose deliveries when presented.
Gill continued his fine form, dispatching a slow, short delivery from Mahmud for a boundary, while Pant showed similar aggression, coming down the track to play an elegant inside-out shot off Mehidy for a four. The partnership raised India’s hopes as they swelled their lead, with Pant attempting a reverse-sweep off Shakib Al Hasan for another boundary to raise the century-stand.
Soon after, a discernible shift in momentum occurred, likely prompted by a message from the dressing room urging more aggressive play. Pant responded with a series of attacking shots, slamming Mahmud for a boundary with a punchy drive, followed by a lap shot that sailed for a six. Gill also upped the ante, converting a length ball from Shakib into a full-toss, which he then dispatched wide of cover for four.
Adding to Bangladesh’s woes, their skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto missed a crucial catch that gave Pant a reprieve. Pant capitalized on this chance, hammering two more fours off Shakib despite it being the last over before Lunch. Post-lunch, Pant continued in top gear, aggressively racing through the 80s and 90s before bringing up his sixth Test century, a feat marking his memorable return to Test cricket after a two-year hiatus. Shortly after, Pant succumbed to a caught-and-bowled by Mehidy, but Gill ensured the scoring momentum continued, stylishly reaching his own century — his fifth in Tests.
India declared shortly after with an hour’s play left in the second session, leaving Bangladesh to fend off an inspired Indian attack led by Ashwin. On the whole, India’s commanding performance with both bat and ball has placed them in an enviable position, putting immense pressure on Bangladesh as the Test heads into its decisive final days.
Brief scores: India 376 & 287/4 decl (Shubman Gill 119*, Rishabh Pant 109) lead Bangladesh 149 & 146/4 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 51; R Ashwin 3-63) by 357 runs.