Ashwin, Jadeja put India on top amid Hasan heroics
Bangladesh squandered a golden chance to establish its full control over India on day one of the first cricket Test after Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja retaliated in emphatic fashion at M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai today. The duo put up a 195-run for the undefeated seventh wicket stand to help India reach 339-6 at stumps and kept its nose ahead after a torrid morning session.
Fast bowler Hasan Mahmud claimed 4-58 and put India in a troublesome situation, reducing them to 144-6 before Ashwin and Jadeja kept Bangladesh at bay, playing with unwavering resolve throughout the whole evening session. Ashwin was batting on 102 after hitting his sixth Test century and his second at his local venue in Chennai with Jadeja on 86 when the bails were drawn for day one.
Nahid Rana and Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up one wicket apiece to complement Hasan. After Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to bowl first, Hasan was all over against India, troubling them with swing and pace that was too tough to handle for the Indian star batters, who are historically vulnerable when the pitch assists the bowlers.
Hasan drew blood first when he unsettled Indian opener and captain Rohit Sharma with a wobbling seam. Rohit, who scored 6, could only edge to second slip where his opposite number Shanto made no mistake to take the catch. In his next over, Hasan gave Bangladesh a double delight as Shubman Gill nicked a delivery going down the leg side for an eight-ballduck. Hasan's next victim was Virat Kohli, who is considered as one of the best batters in the world now. But over the last five years, his dipping form has raised a question of whether he should be termed as one of the best batters in the Test format.
And he once again proved as to why the question was raised. Hasan bowled a delivery touch shorter and outside off and, unlike the other best batters, Kohli chased this to gift his wicket after scoring just 6. Kohli's dismissal left India at tricky 34-3 in just the 10th over as Bangladesh sensed an opportunity to expose India's tail early. However, India's new sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishab Pant, playing his first Test after the deadly car accident, briefly halted Bangladesh's march, putting on 62-run for the fourth wicket.
Hasan took the responsibility for breaking this partnership by removing Pant, who edged a delivery behind to be out on 39. Yashasvi Jaiswal, meanwhile, reached his fifth half-century off 95 balls, driving Miraz towards long-off for a single. Soon after, Nahid Rana intimidated him with a 148 kmph delivery which he could only fend to Shadman Islam at first slip. The new Indian star Jaiswal made 56 off 118 with nine fours. Miraz then put Bangladesh's nose ahead further, when he had KL Rahul caught by Zakir Hasan at short-leg for 16.
As Bangladesh sniffed full control over the match, Ashwin and Jadeja showed a steely resolve to frustrate the Bangladesh bowlers. They unleashed bold shots from their repertoire repeatedly to keep the visitors in disarray and by doing so, took the baton, which they didn't let go. Ashwin raised his century off 108 balls, taking a single off Shakib through mid-off at the end of the day. Ashwin struck 10 fours and two sixes in his knock, playing 112 balls. Jadeja was similarly attacking in his approach and also hit 10 fours and two sixes for his 117 ball-86 not out. Their partnership will be the key in determining the course of the game on day two.
