CHENNAI: Bangladesh lost three quick wickets by lunch in reply to India after a commanding 113 from Ravichandran Ashwin took the hosts to 376 all out on day two of the first Test against Bangladesh on Friday in Chennai.
Bangladesh limped to 26-3 at the break after Jasprit Bumrah bowled left-handed opener Shadman Islam for two and fellow quick Akash Deep struck twice in two deliveries.
After Bumrah’s heroics in the opening over, Deep took centrestage as he bowled the left-handed Zakir Hasan for three and then rattled the stumps of another left-hander Mominul Haque for a duck.
Mushfiqur Rahim played out the hat-trick ball and was batting on four alongside skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, on 15, at the break.
Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud finished with figures of 5-83 after rattling the Indian batting on day one, but a 199-run seventh-wicket stand between Ashwin and Jadeja powered a fightback from the hosts.
The pair resumed with India on 339-6 overnight but pace bowler Taskin Ahmed broke the stand early, with Jadeja caught behind without adding to his overnight score of 86.
Deep hit a quickfire 17 with four boundaries before being dismissed by Taskin, who soon got his third with the wicket of hometown hero Ashwin, caught by Najmul.
The 38-year-old Ashwin was given a standing ovation after a sixth Test ton, which included 10 fours and two sixes.
Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
Hasan wrapped up the innings with his second five-wicket haul in just his fourth Test.
Ashwin had taken to the crease with India in trouble on 144-6 on Thursday and turned the attack on the opposition bowlers with the left-handed Jadeja for company.
Both men – India’s go-to spinners – blunted a Bangladesh bowling onslaught led by Hasan, who had reduced the hosts to 34-3 in the first hour of play.
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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