India played model Test cricket on the third day of the first Test and put Bangladesh in the shade. First there was the calm batting of Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill, respectful of the bowlers and the conditions and then came Ravichandran Ashwin, showing off his skill to ensure that India moved the game forward.
There was an air of inevitably over the hundreds Pant and Gill scored. For Pant, it was obviously a significant ton — his sixth — in the context of his life and the challenges he has faced over the last two years. It was an innings he was going to remember for a long time to come.
Gill, while complementing Pant, understood that his role was slightly different. Gill needed to get some serious runs under his belt and the calm and collected manner in which he went about the task was pleasing on the eye.
“Initially when I used to practice, especially against spinners, I used to step down trying to rotate. It’s the same here because it’s hard for bowlers to settle on a wicket like this where the odd one is turning but not all the balls are turning,” Gill said.
“It’s something that I started practising when I was very young because I was always a tall guy. So, it was easier for me to use my feet and play along the ground. Playing in the air and hitting sixes actually came a bit later when I got a little bit more power in my body.”
The 161-run partnership ensured that both batsmen moved to centuries without ever really playing a false shot. Pant’s first mistake was his last one, when on 109 he failed to get fully to the pitch of a ball from Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The result was a return catch to the bowler as the ball came a touch slowly off the surface.
Gill capitalised fully, ending unbeaten on 119 as India declared on 287 for 4, setting Bangladesh a target of 515.
“I think the series that I had against England gave me a lot of confidence. I felt it was a long time coming for me, especially batting at that position (No. 3). And having got out the way I got out in the first innings (down the leg-side), I was obviously very disappointed,” the 25-year-old Punjab batter said.
“But it further motivated me to be able to spend a lot of time on the crease and put extra value on my wicket. I think my best is yet to come,”
If Bangladesh were rolled out in the first innings, they offered much more resistance in the second. To be fair to India’s bowlers, the pitch had eased up. There was far less lateral movement for the quick bowlers and the bounce was largely true. Still, India were forced to really work for their wickets.
It wasn’t until Bangladesh had 62 that India had their first breakthrough. A stunning catch from Yashaswi Jaiswal gave Jasprit Bumrah his first scalp.
Ashwin then got into his groove, settling into a nice rhythm and mixing things up ever so slightly to keep the batsmen guessing.
Shadman Islam was the first of Ashwin’s wicket when he tried to work the ball to leg but could not keep it along the ground. Mominul Haq got a perfectly pitched peach from Ashwin that did just enough to beat the bat and hit the stumps. Mushfiqur Rahim became Ashwin’s third victim when he drove uppishly towards mid-off.
Even though Bangladesh had managed to get some runs on the board, ending the day on 158 for 4, India will know that they got it just right. From here on, even with a touch of rain predicted, all India need to do is the basics.
The pressure of the scoreboard, the natural variation of the red soil wicket and the sheer class of India’s attack will combine to keep Bangladesh from breathing easy
There was an air of inevitably over the hundreds Pant and Gill scored. For Pant, it was obviously a significant ton — his sixth — in the context of his life and the challenges he has faced over the last two years. It was an innings he was going to remember for a long time to come.
Gill, while complementing Pant, understood that his role was slightly different. Gill needed to get some serious runs under his belt and the calm and collected manner in which he went about the task was pleasing on the eye.
“Initially when I used to practice, especially against spinners, I used to step down trying to rotate. It’s the same here because it’s hard for bowlers to settle on a wicket like this where the odd one is turning but not all the balls are turning,” Gill said.
“It’s something that I started practising when I was very young because I was always a tall guy. So, it was easier for me to use my feet and play along the ground. Playing in the air and hitting sixes actually came a bit later when I got a little bit more power in my body.”
The 161-run partnership ensured that both batsmen moved to centuries without ever really playing a false shot. Pant’s first mistake was his last one, when on 109 he failed to get fully to the pitch of a ball from Mehidy Hasan Miraz. The result was a return catch to the bowler as the ball came a touch slowly off the surface.
Gill capitalised fully, ending unbeaten on 119 as India declared on 287 for 4, setting Bangladesh a target of 515.
“I think the series that I had against England gave me a lot of confidence. I felt it was a long time coming for me, especially batting at that position (No. 3). And having got out the way I got out in the first innings (down the leg-side), I was obviously very disappointed,” the 25-year-old Punjab batter said.
“But it further motivated me to be able to spend a lot of time on the crease and put extra value on my wicket. I think my best is yet to come,”
If Bangladesh were rolled out in the first innings, they offered much more resistance in the second. To be fair to India’s bowlers, the pitch had eased up. There was far less lateral movement for the quick bowlers and the bounce was largely true. Still, India were forced to really work for their wickets.
It wasn’t until Bangladesh had 62 that India had their first breakthrough. A stunning catch from Yashaswi Jaiswal gave Jasprit Bumrah his first scalp.
Ashwin then got into his groove, settling into a nice rhythm and mixing things up ever so slightly to keep the batsmen guessing.
Shadman Islam was the first of Ashwin’s wicket when he tried to work the ball to leg but could not keep it along the ground. Mominul Haq got a perfectly pitched peach from Ashwin that did just enough to beat the bat and hit the stumps. Mushfiqur Rahim became Ashwin’s third victim when he drove uppishly towards mid-off.
Even though Bangladesh had managed to get some runs on the board, ending the day on 158 for 4, India will know that they got it just right. From here on, even with a touch of rain predicted, all India need to do is the basics.
The pressure of the scoreboard, the natural variation of the red soil wicket and the sheer class of India’s attack will combine to keep Bangladesh from breathing easy
You may also like
'Trump made Robinson...': Harris' campaign aims to shift voters in NC amid scandal
Liverpool fans' response to $132m duo says it all and Arne Slot knows what must come now
Erik ten Hag's humiliating record continues as Man Utd risk fails to pay off
Andoni Iraola makes honest Liverpool assessment as 'intensity' admission made
