Bangladesh Pacers Shine as India Struggles at Lunch in First Test
Chennai: In a gripping start to the first Test of the two-match series, Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud made headlines by dismantling India’s top order, claiming three wickets and leaving the hosts reeling at 88 for three at lunch on Thursday.
Upon winning the toss, Bangladesh opted to bowl first on a humid Chennai morning. All eyes were on express bowler Nahid Rana, but it was Mahmud who stole the show with a remarkable spell, returning figures of 3 for 14. His disciplined bowling created early chaos in the Indian lineup.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma was the first casualty, dismissed for just 6 runs. After a reprieve from the DRS when he was on 1, Sharma could do little against Mahmud’s well-angled delivery, edging it to Najmul Hasan Shanto at second slip.
Shubman Gill had an unfortunate outing, departing for a duck after just eight balls, caught off a down-the-leg-side delivery that he feathered to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Virat Kohli, entering to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, looked poised but fell victim to an all-too-familiar pattern. After edging a short delivery outside off-stump, Kohli was caught by Litton Das, leaving India in a precarious position at 34 for three within the first 10 overs.
As the atmosphere turned tense in the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant steadied the innings with a 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Initially shaky, the duo began to find their rhythm, with Jaiswal showcasing his classical batting style through elegant drives and flicks off pacer Taskin Ahmed and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Pant complemented him with aggressive strokes, including a thunderous square cut that delighted the crowd.
While the partnership brought some much-needed stability, the early dismissals served as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead for the Indian batting lineup. As the players headed into the break, the focus will now shift to how Jaiswal and Pant can further build their innings against a potent Bangladeshi attack.
