India vs Bangladesh 1st Test Day 1: Ashwin's 100 Steers India to Dominance
The first day of the first Test between India and Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram saw India take complete control, thanks to a magnificent century by Ravichandran Ashwin and a disciplined bowling performance.
Ashwin's Masterclass
R Ashwin was the star of the day, smashing his 12th Test century and becoming the second Indian to score a century in both innings of a Test match against Bangladesh. He displayed incredible temperament and resilience, scoring 123 runs off 213 balls, studded with 12 boundaries and a six. Ashwin's century was crucial in India's total of 404/6 declared, setting a strong foundation for the match.
India's Strong Start
India's batting performance was highlighted by the solid foundation laid by Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara, who put on a 140-run partnership for the second wicket. Gill scored a fluent 72, while Pujara contributed a gritty 73.
KL Rahul, the Indian captain, also made a valuable 70, showcasing his form and experience. Shreyas Iyer added a quickfire 38, while Virat Kohli chipped in with 29 runs.
Bangladesh Struggles
Bangladesh's bowling attack struggled to contain the Indian batsmen. Taijul Islam was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets, while Khaled Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain took one wicket each.
A Challenging Evening
However, the evening session saw Bangladesh face a tough test in their reply, losing two wickets in the last hour. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan, both key players for Bangladesh, were dismissed by Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj respectively.
Bangladesh ended the day at 42/2, still needing 362 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Day 2 Expectations
The second day promises to be exciting, with Bangladesh needing to weather the Indian bowling storm and fight back to stay in the match. India will be looking to take quick wickets and enforce the follow-on. The battle between the bat and the ball is set to intensify, and it will be fascinating to see how the match unfolds.
