IND vs BAN 1st Test: India pace it right!

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah celebrates with teammates after dismissing Bangladesh’s Shadman Islam in Chennai yesterday. Pic/AFP

The middle day of a Test match is generally considered the moving day, but India's first Test against Bangladesh moved at a frenetic pace on Friday's second day. As many as 17 wickets fell at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, where action wasn't at a premium. When the dust settled and one was able catch one's breath, India had nosed comfortably ahead, leading by 308 runs with seven second-innings wickets standing.

Bangladesh will wonder how things could come to such a pass after pushing India into a tight corner at 144-6, midway through Day One. They will realise that the superior all-round quality of the home side, coupled with their own inadequacies against pace bowling of the highest order, have been the difference between the two sides.

India's depth in batting allowed them to post 376 on the first count, their innings ending 65 minutes into the second morning with Taskin Ahmed making the most of the second new ball. There was no deserved century for Ravindra Jadeja, dismissed for his overnight 86, while R Ashwin's sparkling vigil ended to a smart catch in the deep by Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Bangladesh skipper.

Wickets tumble

Bangladesh have had issues with their top order, and those were again mercilessly exposed by India's three-pronged pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah expectedly leading the way. The champion quick triggered the slide by cleaning up Shadman Islam with the last ball of his first over on his way to a four-wicket burst that was primarily responsible for Bangladesh folding up for 149.

Also Read: Bumrah in lead role as India reduce Bangladesh to 112/8 at tea on Day 2

India again lost Rohit Sharma cheaply and Yashasvi Jaiswal finally managed to nick one to Liton Das after attempting it numerous times during his 17-ball stay. Virat Kohli failed to pick an inside-edge as he was ruled leg before to Mehidy Hasan Miraz, but Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant steered India to 81-3 to build handsomely on their first-innings advantage of 227. Interestingly, Rohit chose not to use any roller ahead of India's second innings.

Two scalps for Jadeja

India's two batting stints, which bookended Bangladesh's meltdown, weren't exactly sideshows, but the main act was the Bumrah-led destruction that was complemented by two strikes apiece by Akash Deep (in as many deliveries), Mohammed Siraj and Jadeja. Bangladesh lost three wickets in the nine overs to lunch, all left-handers who had their furniture rearranged, and never recovered from those crippling blows.

For a while, the experienced Shakib Al Hasan and the in-form Liton Das imposed themselves with several handsome drives when the quicker bowlers sought a fuller length looking for swing. But both were undone by Jadeja's left-arm spin, the former caught off boot attempting a reverse sweep and the latter holing out in the deep playing the conventional sweep. That addled decision-making reflected Bangladesh's mindset; on a surface now also beginning to play a little up and down, to gift wickets to spin was a definite no-no. India undoubtedly came out all guns blazing with the ball, but Bangladesh have done little thus far to help their own cause.

401
Total number of international wickets taken by Jasprit Bumrah (163 in Tests, 149 in ODIs and 89 in T20Is)

Brief scores
India 376 & 81-3 (S Gill 33') v Bangladesh 149 (S Al Hasan 32; J Bumrah 4-50, R Jadeja 2-19, A Deep 2-19, M Siraj 2-30)