Innings India 285 for 9 dec (Jaiswal 72, Rahul 68, Mehidy 4-41, Shakib 4-78) lead Bangladesh 233 (Mominul 107*, Bumrah 3-50, Akash Deep 2-43) by 52 runs
With the sun finally beating down after successive days of overcast conditions and rain, the pitch showed signs of better carry in the first session. But the inherent nature of the black-soil surface meant a few deliveries did keep a tad low.
None of that mattered for Jaiswal, who kickstarted India’s response with a hat-trick of fours off Hasan Mahmud, who had picked up a five-for in Chennai. At the other end, Rohit thumped the first two balls he faced for sixes, first jumping down the track to fast bowler Khaled Ahmed to deposit him over long-on, before pulling one into the deep-square leg stands. The pair hit two fours and two sixes more to bring up India’s fifty in just three overs.
In a bid to slow India down, Bangladesh brought Mehidy on, and though he was greeted with a four clubbed through midwicket, he almost struck fourth ball when Rohit was ruled out lbw. But Rohit reviewed and survived, with the ball hitting him outside the line of leg. On the next ball, though, Mehidy had the last laugh, getting one flighted delivery to keep low and spin back in sharply through Rohit’s defence.
That did not deter Jaiswal, who went on a rampage against spin. India managed to hit at least one four in each of overs six to 12. In the process, Jaiswal brought up a 31-ball fifty and India got to 100 in just 10.1 overs. He used his reach well to put the spinners off their lengths, the highlight being a biggie he smoked over long-on off Mehidy, who also got the ball to dip in on a fullish length. However, the low bounce of the surface came into play when Mahmud’s length ball stayed a bit low to clatter into Jaiswal stumps, and dismiss him for 72.
At the other end, Shubman Gill got his eye in and also hit a massive six over midwicket after dancing down the track to Mehidy. But in a bid to take on Shakib just after tea, he holed out to long-off. Rishabh Pant, sent in at No. 4 ahead of Virat Kohli, also dragged a tossed-up ball from Shakib down long-on’s throat.
Yet, there was no slowing down from India. Their attacking game had pushed Bangladesh back, and for most part, the visitors had at least five fielders on the boundary. Kohli and Rahul used this to rotate strike and bat freely. Kohli was unafraid to use his feet, and switched his ODI mode on. This was after a mix-up with Pant should have sent Kohli back, but Khaled Ahmed’s underarm throw at the striker’s end was just wide despite getting to the stumps with Kohli having stranded out of the crease and given up.
Kohli rubbed salt into Khaled and Bangladesh’s wounds by hitting him for back-to-back fours, the second off which was a loft over extra cover. He also used his feet against spin, thumping Taijul Islam straight over long-off. In a bid to slog Shakib over midwicket, though, he was bowled after one skidded through.
Rahul, however, used the sweep and reverse sweep aplenty, and never for once stalled. He looked at ease against the lowish pace on the surface and managed to encash on any width. He put on a masterclass of playing against spin, and scored his fastest Test fifty, off 33 balls.
Once Akash Deep holed out to long-on after wielding his willow, India declared with a lead of 52.
S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7
