Ravichandran Ashwin’s all-round brilliance powered India to a dominating 280-run win over Bangladesh in the first Test held in Chennai. Ashwin, playing at his home ground, delivered a match-winning performance by taking six wickets in Bangladesh’s second innings and claiming a total of 10 wickets in the match. This victory came on the fourth day, as Bangladesh, chasing an almost impossible target of 515, folded for 234.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto was the lone warrior for his side, scoring a resilient 82 runs, but his efforts weren’t enough to stop India from taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Ashwin, who scored 113 runs off 133 balls earlier in India’s first innings, continued his dominance with the ball, sending Bangladesh’s batting lineup into a tailspin. His 10-wicket haul, coupled with his century, earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match honor.
Ashwin’s fellow spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, also had a strong showing, taking three wickets on the final day after contributing 86 runs in India’s first innings. Jadeja and Ashwin’s partnership with the bat added 99 crucial runs, building India’s massive total.
Bangladesh resumed the fourth day on 158-4 and briefly resisted India’s bowling attack. Shanto, along with all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, held their ground in the opening hour. However, Ashwin soon broke the partnership, dismissing Shakib for 25 with a well-executed delivery that Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at short leg.
Jadeja then trapped Litton Das in the slip cordon and later ended Shanto’s determined knock, accelerating Bangladesh’s collapse. India wrapped up the game with five sessions to spare, giving themselves plenty of breathing room before the second Test.
India declared their second innings at 287-4 on the third day after centuries from Shubman Gill, who remained unbeaten at 119, and Rishabh Pant, who scored 109 in his comeback match after recovering from a serious car accident in December 2022. The pair added 167 runs for the fourth wicket, putting India in a commanding position.
This match also marked Virat Kohli’s return to the Test format after taking a brief paternity leave. However, he struggled with the bat, managing scores of just 6 and 17 in both innings.
India’s bowling, led by pacer Jasprit Bumrah, gave them an early advantage by bundling Bangladesh out for 149 in their first innings. The Indian side, which currently tops the World Test Championship rankings, is keen to build on this momentum as they embark on a 10-match Test season.
Bangladesh, coming off an impressive series win against Pakistan, arrived in Chennai hoping to make history with their first-ever Test win against India. However, they were thoroughly outplayed by the hosts.
The teams will now move to Kanpur for the second and final Test, which begins on Friday, where Bangladesh will aim to bounce back and level the series.
Source: Al Jazeera