1st Test
Day-3 Evening Session Highlights:
The centuries by both the batsman Gill and Pant has put the India team in a commanding position
At The Stumps of Day-3:
India scored 376 (1st Innings) & 287/4 decl (2nd Innings), where as Bangladesh scored 149 (1st Innings) & 158/4 (2nd Innings).
So, finally India lead by 357 runs.
India firmly established themselves in a commanding position at the end of the third day’s play, bolstered by centuries from Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.
The duo’s remarkable performances enabled India to declare with a lead of 514 runs, leaving over two and a half days of play remaining in the first Test at Chennai.
In response, Bangladesh showed improved batting compared to their first innings but still lost four wickets, with R. Ashwin emerging as the main wicket-taker.
Ashwin, who had recently scored a century with the bat, initially struggled for wickets in the first innings.
However, as the match progressed, he found some assistance from the pitch, which he skillfully exploited.
Before that, openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam provided a confident start, putting on a 62-run partnership.
The pitch offered no significant challenges until then, allowing the duo to play positively against the pacers, even putting pressure on Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah.
Their confident strokes gave Bangladesh something to cheer about in an otherwise challenging match, but Hasan eventually nicked a delivery from Bumrah and was well caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully.
As the innings progressed, Ashwin began to assert his influence with clever lines and the occasional turn and bounce that troubled the left-handed batsmen.
He first dismissed Shadman, caught at midwicket, and then bowled Mominul Haque with a beautiful off-break that beat the outside edge.
Mushfiqur Rahim entered with an aggressive intent, lofting Ashwin for a six before miscuing another attempt and being caught at mid-on.
Bangladesh found themselves in a precarious position during their daunting chase, and bad light ultimately forced an early end to the day’s play.
Despite the loss of overs, India advanced their position significantly, thanks to the quick scoring by their batters earlier in the day.
Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant’s outstanding centuries and their 167-run partnership left Bangladesh chasing leather.
The day’s play started on time despite overnight and early morning rain, with Pant igniting India’s innings with a pull shot off Mehidy Hasan Miraz for four, quickly following up with another controlled pull shot off Hasan Mahmud.
Gill, who started cautiously, soon displayed his attacking intent, striking two sixes off Mehidy to reach a well-crafted half-century.
The pair raised their fifty-run partnership shortly after, extending India’s lead past 350 runs.
However, the first hour was marked by a cautious approach as India managed only 48 runs in 15 overs, despite Pant hitting another boundary off Mehidy.
Pant reached his fifty about 30 minutes into the second hour, taking 88 balls to achieve the milestone after starting the day on 12 off 13.
The pair focused on capitalizing on loose deliveries, with Gill hitting a slow, short ball from Mahmud for four, and Pant lofting an inside-out shot off Mehidy for another boundary.
Gill also ventured down the pitch against Mehidy, just clearing the long-on boundary for his third six.
Pant executed a reverse sweep off Shakib Al Hasan for a boundary to raise their century partnership.
Following a possible message from the dressing room, Pant shifted into a higher gear, driving a Mahmud delivery for four, followed by a lap shot for six.
Gill converted a Shakib delivery into a full toss, placing it wide of cover for another boundary.
To add to Bangladesh’s difficulties, their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped a catch, giving Pant a reprieve.
Pant then struck two more boundaries off Shakib in the final over before lunch, reinforcing India’s dominance.
After the break, Pant continued to accelerate, swiftly moving through the 80s and 90s with a series of boundaries to secure his sixth Test century, marking a memorable return to the format after two years.
He was dismissed shortly after, caught and bowled by Mehidy, but Gill went on to reach his fifth Test century, piling further misery on the Bangladesh side.
The declaration came with about an hour left in the second session, setting the stage for Ashwin and the bowling attack to take control.
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