Luck was not on India’s side as they prepared for the first of their remaining ten Tests in the World Test Championship.
After opting to field first, the precision of Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud paid off, as Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli succumbed to the early lateral movement in Chennai’s conditions.
With India struggling at 34/3, the management moved Rishabh Pant up to No. 5 instead of KL Rahul, a decision that proved effective until Lunch.
Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal countered the pace attack with aggressive drives and smooth flicks, adding 54 runs to leave India at 84/3 after 23 overs.
As the second session began, the lateral movement diminished, but Hasan Mahmud soon claimed Pant for 39, achieving his four-for. Jaiswal quickly reached a fifty off 95 balls, keeping the innings afloat, while Rahul played cautiously against the spinners before falling for 16 after a loose shot at short leg, just after Jaiswal was dismissed by Nahid Rana.
With momentum shifting toward Bangladesh, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja played some bold strokes, adding 32 runs in 34 balls before Tea.The all-rounders resumed the third session with renewed vigor, quickly reaching a 50-run partnership.
The 200-run mark came up swiftly, and Ashwin raced to his fifty. They extended their partnership to 100 runs, leading India to 250 in the 62nd over. Although some rough patches emerged, the spinners struggled to find their lines, while the right-left combination of Ashwin and Jadeja handled the pacers with ease.
— Gill Bill (@bill_gill76078) September 19, 2024
As the session extended due to a slow over rate, the pair celebrated a 150-run stand for the seventh wicket, with Ashwin reaching his century and Jadeja unbeaten on 86 as India closed the day at 339/6.
