Ravichandran Ashwin turned out to be the hero with the ball for India, showcasing his exceptional talent with a brilliant six-wicket haul, complementing his century in the Chennai Test. Ravindra Jadeja played the perfect supporting role by capturing three wickets, enabling India to seal a significant 280-run victory over Bangladesh.
Entering the fourth morning of the Test match with a daunting task ahead, needing 357 runs to win, the visitors faced a Herculean challenge. Nevertheless, Najmul Hasan Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan started the day on a positive note. They tackled the first hour without any major mishaps, displaying resilience against Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. Both left-handers managed to survive the early burst, with Bumrah and Siraj trying to angle the balls across and create trouble.
On the other end, Ravindra Jadeja kept the pressure mounting. Jadeja’s tactic of firing deliveries into the rough patches outside the off stump kept the batsmen constantly on edge, leading to several demanding moments. The uneven turn and bounce created challenges for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant too, who unfortunately missed a stumping chance off Shakib Al Hasan, making the situation more tense.
Despite these pressures, Shanto and Shakib employed the sweep shot strategically against Jadeja, which rewarded them with some valuable boundaries and helped them build a 48-run partnership. However, as the saying goes, “a wicket was around the corner,” and indeed it was.
R Ashwin, introduced into the attack, made an immediate impact in his very first over. Shakib Al Hasan, who had shown signs of resistance, was trapped by an inside edge, brilliantly snapped up at short leg. This breakthrough marked the opening of the floodgates for India. The ‘spin twins’—Ashwin and Jadeja, now operating in tandem, began to dominate. They tested both edges of the batsmen’s bats, posing questions that the Bangladeshi batting line-up struggled to answer.
Litton Das, who had initially shown some resolve, was beaten multiple times before finally succumbing to Jadeja, edging a delivery to slip.
. Mehidy Hasan, attempting a big shot to break free, mistimed his effort and was caught at long-on, giving Ashwin his 37th Test five-wicket haul and equalling him with the legendary Shane Warne in the all-time list of five-wicket hauls in Test cricket. But Ashwin wasn’t done yet; he added another wicket to his tally when Taskin Ahmed top-edged a slog, drawing the end nearer.
Jadeja, not to be left behind, wrapped up the Bangladeshi innings. He bowled a beauty that eluded Hasan Mahmud’s wild shot, marking his 299th Test wicket. With this, India secured a comprehensive 280-run victory, handing them a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Reflecting on the game’s earlier proceedings, India’s first innings total was bolstered significantly by contributions from Ashwin and Jadeja themselves. Ashwin’s stellar 113, coupled with Jadeja’s valuable 86, and a steady 56 from Yashasvi Jaiswal, helped India post a challenging 376. Hasan Mahmud was the standout bowler for Bangladesh in that innings, with an impressive 5-83.
In India’s second innings, after declaring at 287/4, Shubman Gill starred with a splendid unbeaten 119, supported ably by a fluent 109 from Rishabh Pant. This set up a mountainous target for Bangladesh who were bowled out for 149 in their first innings, thanks primarily to a disciplined bowling effort led by Jasprit Bumrah with figures of 4-50.
In their second innings, Bangladesh showcased more resistance with Najmul Hossain Shanto leading the way with a gritty 82. But it was not enough to surmount the towering target set by India. Eventually, Ashwin’s 6-88 overshadowed any hopes Bangladesh had harbored, making sure the target remained unreachable.
India showcased both their batting depth and bowling prowess throughout the Test, particularly the lethal spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja. This win not only gives India an advantage in the series but also highlights the strength and balance within the team.
With the series now poised at 1-0 in favor of India, Bangladesh will need to regroup and come up with strategies to counter India’s formidable form if they hope to level the series in the forthcoming Test. For India, however, this win will be savored as yet another emphatic statement in their quest for Test dominance.