Rohit Sharma has showered accolades on the depth and versatility of his bowling unit following India’s commanding 280-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test held in Chennai. Returning to the format after a six-month hiatus proved to be no hindrance for India, who demonstrated varied paths to success across the two innings of the match. In the first innings, the pace bowlers, led by the exceptional Jasprit Bumrah, played a pivotal role in skittling out the visitors for a meager 149. In stark contrast, R. Ashwin later took the reins in the second innings, claiming a stellar six-wicket haul to add to his first-innings century, effectively sealing the game.
“No matter the conditions, whether we play in India or abroad, we aim to build the team around our bowling,” Rohit stated after the comprehensive win. “Whatever the conditions have to offer, we have to be prepared for it. Over the last few years, no matter where we have played, we’ve always had options in our arsenal, be it seam or spin bowling. You have to give credit to the guys; whenever there’s a responsibility, they never shy away from it. They are always willing to step up and get the job done for the team.”
The pitch in Chennai posed unique challenges for the bowlers as it was a red-soil wicket known for good pace and bounce over the initial two days of the Test. The spinners, who accounted for only five of the first 24 wickets in the match, had to adapt their strategies to succeed before the turning and bouncing nature of the pitch became more pronounced on the final day. Rohit emphasized the importance of patience with both bat and ball, while Ashwin provided a more detailed analysis of the pitch’s distinct characteristics.
“Look, I think on this pitch, even if you bowl good balls, you might go for runs because the bounce is quite daunting,” Ashwin explained. “Over the years, we’ve lost a lot of red-soil pitches, which were essential for playing Test cricket in India. The beauty of red soil is that when you put revs on it, there’s value in it, and there’s bounce. You might get hit, but there’s bounce.
“In contrast, on black clay surfaces elsewhere in the country, you have to work very hard. You put a lot of revs and sometimes see nothing come out of it. In certain places, it’s better not to put revs on it.
. To understand all these nuances and to start to discuss them is a significant learning curve for me, and it’s happened over the years. Like I said, this pitch has solid bounce. I would rather play on a surface like this and get hit than on another surface where it’s harder to extract any assistance.
“Playing on good surfaces like this is sometimes misunderstood. People often make the mistake of lumping all Indian pitches together. I actually think India has a diverse set of pitches. When you go to Ranchi, it doesn’t feel like home. Eden Gardens sometimes doesn’t feel like home. Dharamsala, out of the blue, doesn’t feel like home either. For some reason, people don’t grasp this because the soil types and weather conditions vary. Unlike Australia, where every Boxing Day Test is at Melbourne, we don’t have such traditions. The surfaces in India react very differently at various times of the year.”
Meanwhile, Indian captain Rohit Sharma was also full of praise for Rishabh Pant, who marked his return to Test cricket with a century after missing 14 consecutive Tests due to injuries sustained in a car crash in December 2022. “He’s been through some really tough times, and the way he has managed himself during these tough times has been superb to watch,” Rohit said. “He came back during the IPL, followed by a very successful World Cup, and Test cricket is the format he loves the most.
“For us, it was never about what he would do with the bat; we always knew his capabilities with the bat and with the gloves. It was about giving him the game time he needed. Credit to him as well for playing in the Duleep Trophy and preparing himself for this Test match. He had an immediate impact on the game.”
This victory in Chennai reaffirms India’s stronghold in the longer format and showcases their well-rounded bowling attack, prepared to tackle different conditions head-on.