CHENNAI: Bangladesh started briskly in their mammoth chase of 515 on day three of the first Test against India after centuries from Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant steered the hosts to 287-4 declared on Saturday.
The tourists reached 56-0 at tea with left-handed openers Zakir Hasan, on 32, and Shadman Islam, on 21, hitting seven fours and one six between them in Chennai.
Pant, who made 109, and Gill, unbeaten on 119, put on 167 runs for the fourth wicket to ram home India’s advantage in the second session after they bundled out Bangladesh for 149 on day two.
Pant, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, smashed the bowlers to every corner before a double off Shakib Al Hasan got him his sixth Test century.
The 26-year-old, who survived a near-fatal car crash in December 2022, took off his helmet and raised his bat to acknowledge a standing ovation from the weekend crowd.
He finally fell caught and bowled by spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz after his 128-ball knock that included 13 fours and four sixes.
Gill kept up the charge and raised his fifth Test ton before skipper Rohit Sharma called him and KL Rahul, on 22, back.
Gill and Pant, who survived a dropped catch on 72, started cautiously on India’s overnight score of 81-3 after early morning rain.
India in box seat after Bumrah takes four against Bangladesh
Pant let loose with two boundaries before Gill smashed Mehidy for two sixes in an over to raise his fifty.
The batting duo handled the spinners with ease and jumped out of the crease to hit boundaries.
Ravichandran Ashwin handed India an early advantage after his first innings 113 lifted the hosts to 376 from a precarious 144-6. Jasprit Bumrah turned on the heat to help bundle out Bangladesh cheaply, giving the hosts a 227-run lead coming into the second innings.
India are looking to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings as they begin a fresh Test season of 10 matches.
Bangladesh have never beaten India in a Test.
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