On a crisp Tuesday morning, precisely at 10:44 AM, more than an hour after Najmul Hossain Shanto had dug in to execute a defensive strategy for his team, he attempted an audacious reverse sweep against the formidable Indian spinner, Ravindra Jadeja. It was a moment that encapsulated Bangladesh’s flawed strategic approach throughout the Test match. Their skipper had chosen the wrong moment and the wrong player for an ill-timed adventurous shot. Throughout the Test, Bangladesh had adhered to a defensive game plan, and this rare spurt of attacking intent backfired, leading to a cascade of subsequent errors.
Much later in the same gripping Test, Bangladesh, seeking to experiment with an attacking strategy, tested an alternative method. With just four runs needed for India to seal the Test victory which had spanned less than 180 overs, Taijul Islam coaxed the fielders on the boundary to approach, subtly inciting Virat Kohli towards a flamboyant finish. Yet, the Indian captain tackled the taunt with a firm sweep, securing just a single run. In the subsequent delivery, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was in scintillating form with two half-centuries in the match, also mistimed a shot and was caught at cover.
Bangladesh stretched India’s inevitable victory with all fielders moving to the infield. For a team that had initially outrun the ball’s pace for the first 86 runs of their chase, it took an additional 20 balls to collect the final nine runs, underscoring a belated attacking approach. This strategic shift, however, was far too delayed to alter the match’s outcome.
During the initial phase of India’s batting in both innings, Bangladesh’s field placement was primarily defensive with fielders stationed on the boundary. In the first innings, India audaciously bypassed the easy singles for hard-hitting shots. The second innings witnessed more strategic play from Kohli and Jaiswal during their 58-run partnership, exploiting Bangladesh’s conservative field placement.
Nearly two days of play being wiped out due to unfavorable weather meant both teams faced pressure to adopt aggressive play for a result. Bangladesh’s conservative, defense-oriented strategy placed the onus squarely on India to force a result. On a slow, sluggish wicket where taking wickets was tedious, India’s bowlers managed to claim nine Bangladesh wickets on the fourth day, while also completing their innings, emphasizing their intent and determination. India raced past Bangladesh’s first innings total with a blistering rate of 8.22, setting a Test cricket record for the fastest scoring rate. Remarkably, even in ODIs, India has bettered that scoring rate only three times in a 50-over innings.
Rohit Sharma, reflecting on India’s strategy after the win, said: “Once we bowled them out for their first innings, Rohit was clear about needing at least 80 overs to bowl them out.
.” Ashwin recalled, “I think we bowled them out in 74.4. We had those 10 extra overs to push because they could defend, and the pitch was favorable. Rohit determined that we needed to be ‘all guns blazing’, pursuing a 400-run target in about 50 overs. Even if we were bowled out for under 200, the game would still be alive.”
India’s emphatic intent shocked Bangladesh and rendered them reactive, forcing them to adjust to India’s aggressive conditions. As India proceeded with dominance on the penultimate day, it was evident how Bangladesh struggled to adapt, taken aback by the Indian side’s aggressive strategy and pace.
As the final day’s play approached, the two sides appeared evenly matched, but their tactical approaches starkly differed. India sought to seize victory, while Bangladesh aimed merely to survive, largely due to the formidable reputation and quality of cricket India had displayed. Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurasingha acknowledged facing a far superior team compared to when he last encountered India in 2017. “This defeat is particularly painful,” he stated, congratulating Rohit and his team for their innovative approach and owning up to his team’s inability to react swiftly.
India’s assertive play inspired peculiarly unusual field placements and bowling lines from Bangladesh, interspersed with some critical fielding errors, despite sporadic attacking attempts from the visitors. For a tense 62-minute stretch, Najmul Shanto, alongside Shadman Islam, kept Bangladesh hopeful of salvaging a draw. India, however, unleashed a comprehensive assault with both pace and spin, breaking down Bangladesh’s resistance ultimately leading to rapid wickets falling in succession.
By the time Bangladesh’s innings concluded, India required a modest 97 runs in two full sessions, promptly sealing the match with the same aggression and flair showcased throughout. In the aftermath of their previous series victory in Pakistan and now facing a whitewash in India, the series underscored for Hathurasingha and his team the need for self-evaluation. The loss highlighted opposing quality and outlined the high cricketing standards India mandated.
Spanning just 173.2 overs, the Test in Kanpur was another example of India’s match-winning prowess, batting 312 balls—the fourth least number of balls needed ever to win a Test. India achieved a record run-rate over two innings, prompted by the points at stake in the World Test Championship, thus further exploring the depths of its potential.
India’s triumph in Kanpur didn’t necessarily enhance their standing as an elite home Test team, but the manner of victory added another chapter to their aura of invincibility—etched further into cricket history.