Rishabh Pant added a cherry on top of his fairytale return in Test cricket after more than 700 days with a sixth century while Shubman Gill brought up his career’s fifth to set up India’s declaration at 287/4 and leave Bangladesh with a monumental target of 515.
In reply, Najmul Hossain Shanto led the visitors’ fightback with an undefeated fifty after they squandered a sedate start by losing four quick wickets to reach 158/4 by the time play was called off due to bad light on Day 3 of the opening Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here.
When India declared their second innings in the post-lunch session, Bangladesh had more than two days of play left to scale the steep total, and the opening pair of Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam rightfully took their time to settle in and gave the side a steady start, reaching 56 for no loss at tea.
Post tea, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah strangulated the free flow of runs in the first three overs, and on the fourth, Zakir played an ambitious drive to a ball not nearly full enough, and Yashasvi Jaiswal ended his 47-ball 33 with a sensational catch low to his left and behind him at gully.
Zakir’s departure opened the floodgates as Ravichandran Ashwin, who went wicketless in the first innings, left the visitors reeling with three quick blows of Shadman (35), Mominul Haque (13) and Mushfiqur Rahim (13), leaving Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan (5 not out) with a big job ahead of them.
The Bangladeshi top-order batters could only blame themselves for the ordeal as the conditions remained flat throughout the day unlike the previous two days.
Shadnam, who went back looking to play a length ball behind square, ended up giving a leading edge for Gill to complete a low catch at short midwicket. Ashwin then produced a beauty to get rid of Mominul, who failed to read the turn, and ended up losing his off-stump. Mushfiqur perished a ball after slog-sweeping Ashwin for a six as the diminutive batter hit one low to Rahul at mid-on.
The three quick dismissals brought in the experienced Shakib Al Hasan, who was yet to settle down before play was called off almost 40 minutes before the scheduled close. At the other end, captain Najmul batted calmly yet quickly to end the day batting on 51 off 60, and the duo walked back after adding 12 unbeaten runs for the fifth wicket.
Earlier on Saturday, Gill and Pant resumed from an overnight score of 81/3 and put their heads down for big knocks. They were content to defend for a while without worrying about edges and close-in fielders before gradually opening up in the seventh over of the day when Gill struck two sixes over wide long-on to launch the counterattack.
Pant, on the other hand, took his time to warm himself up before stamping his authority with a ramp-sweep off Hasan Mahmud for a six over fine leg 10 minutes before lunch. Three minutes later, Pant survived a skier after being dropped by Shanto, but still hit two fours in the final over before the break to outscore his partner.
Post lunch, Pant brought out his trademark flick behind square both off the quicks and the spinners to get to his hundred in just 118 balls. Gill went there more calmly, in 161 balls, and KL Rahul played a few classy inside-out drives before the declaration left Bangladesh an hour to bat till tea.
Brief Scores
India 376 and 287 for 4 dec. (Shubman Gill 119 not out, Rishabh Pant 109); Bangladesh 149 and 158 for 4 (Shanto 51 not out, Ashwin 3-63).