Fri | Sep 20, 2024

Ashwin, Jadeja dig India out of trouble against Bangladesh

Published:Friday | September 20, 2024 | 12:11 AM
India’s Ravichandran Ashwin (right) celebrates his century with Ravindra Jadeja on the first day of the first Test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India yesterday.
AP
India’s Ravichandran Ashwin (right) celebrates his century with Ravindra Jadeja on the first day of the first Test match between India and Bangladesh, in Chennai, India yesterday.

CHENNAI, India (AP):

Ravichandran Ashwin scored his sixth Test hundred as he and Ravindra Jadeja dug India’s cricketers out of trouble against Bangladesh on day one of the first Test yesterday.

Ashwin hit 102 not out in 112 balls – his second Test century on his home ground in Chennai – as the home team reached 339-6 in 80 overs.

He put on an unbeaten 195-run stand with Jadeja for the seventh wicket – the highest for India against Bangladesh – to rescue the team from a precarious 144-6.

Jadeja finished the day unbeaten on 86 off 117 balls.

Ashwin said: “It is always a special feeling to score in front of the home crowd. It is a ground I’ve completely loved to play cricket in. I played a domestic T20 tournament here earlier and have been working on my batting. The bounce was good and at times I was trying to hit the ball hard.”

Paceman Hasan Mahmud was the chief destroyer as Bangladesh reduced India to 88-3 in the morning session, with skipper Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli all falling for single figures.

Then post-lunch, Rishabh Pant was caught at slip off Mahmud for 39 after he and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had shared a stand of 62.

Lokesh Rahul returned to Test cricket for the first time since January and scored 16 runs in a fifth-wicket partnership of 48 with Jaiswal.

Jaiswal, though, was caught off paceman Nahid Rana for 56, while Rahul was removed by spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz to a catch at short leg for 16.

Ashwin and Jadeja then attacked the Bangladesh bowling. Ashwin was the main aggressor, hitting 10 fours and two sixes as he sped to 50 off 58 balls.

His second 50 came at a run-a-ball, reaching 100 off 108 deliveries. Ashwin also scored a century on this ground against England in 2021.

Jadeja was solid at the other end, going to his 50 off 73 balls with his trademark swordplay celebration. He hit 10 fours and two sixes in all.

The second Test will be played in Kanpur and begins on September 27, with three Twenty20 matches to follow.