Chennai: By taking out Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul in quick succession, Bangladesh managed to take an upper hand over India, as the hosts’ reached 176/6 in 48 overs at tea on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday.
With the conditions being still good for bowling, it meant Bangladesh made further inroads into a session they won, despite Jaiswal’s fifth Test fifty and an unbeaten 21 from Ravichandran Ashwin, who added 32 off 34 balls for the seventh wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (seven not out).
Three overs post lunch, Pant began by cutting Mahmud through point for four. But on the very next ball, Pant once again tried to cut the ball outside off-stump, but this time, he was late on the timing and got a faint under-edge straight to the keeper to fall for 39 off 52 balls.
Jaiswal continued to be comfortable at the crease, especially aided by Mahmud spraying down leg a bit too much, and slammed his fifty in 95 balls. But Nahid Rana ended his knock at 56 off 118 balls, as the pacer found Jaiswal’s thick outside edge carrying nicely to first slip.
In the next over, Rahul couldn’t keep leg glance down and was caught by shot leg off Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 16 off 52 balls. Local lad Ashwin got a good reception from a sparse crowd at Chepauk and he didn’t disappoint with his attractive punch and pull, while getting a poke between slips to get his third four. India will be hoping that Ashwin and Jadeja put on a rearguard stand to get a competitive total.
Brief Scores: India 176/6 in 48 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 56, Rishabh Pant 39; Hasan Mahmud 4-35) against Bangladesh
–IANS