On the third day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai on Saturday, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill erased the anguish, stress and multiple disappointments these past months induced, by making centuaries.
India lost three wickets8 81 overnight and declared their second innings at 287 for four. In that innings, Rishabh Pant (109) and Gill (119 not out) helped India adding more runs in a loopy 167 run stand for the fourth wicket.
The entire purpose of playing the day’s play was to add another dominant performance as Bangladesh made 158 for four when the game was called off due to bad light at 4:25 pm.
The visitors still require 357 runs for victory. Najmul Hossain Shanto scored 51 runs and Shakib Al-Hasan remained unbeaten on 5 at the crease when the umpires stopped the game.
It was Bangladesh who fared better and their scoring without hitting heavy shots against Ashwin, who was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 63.
Day 3: As It Happened
It was the centuries from both the batsmen that stood out and helped them cross all the hurdles.
The struggle of Rishabh Pant has gained attention over the years, especially after he was in a terrible car accident in December 2022. The look he had on his face as he reached his sixty millionth Test hundred, after taking a couple off Shakib al Hasan’s bowling, gives an insight of how important that particular innings was for him. Pant found himself at the center of the oval in a posed position, with eyes shut and bat raised high in ungodly bliss, presumably hoping, in silence, for his return back to the game.
Gill had been a little aloof in order to allow Pant to be in a very personal space.
Moments later, the two were engaged in an embrace which was greeted with applause from the fans in the Chepauk.
It was also a sign of appreciation to Rishabh Pant who’ve now equalled ex Indian captain MS Dhoni’s record for the most Test centuries by an Indian wicket keeper – batsman standing at six.
Gill’s issues so much more of a mental nature and to some extent a physical nature were simply more a matter of belief, rather the faith in the longer last format, the most traditional of all.
After getting a century against England in Visakhapatnam early this year, Gill detective development which was more supported by fifth test match century turning point appropriately towards Mehidy Hasan Miraz, being lobbed a single.
Gill was nursing a previous day’s score of 33 when play them, while Rishabh Pant shouldered 12, aside emotions and apiece conquered the Bangladesh bowlers in the opposite ends – rhythmic ways.
Rishabh Pant Started off looking a bit tentative and didn’t begin to open up after getting some time at the crease. It was after the first drinks break that the critical moment came when he swept Miraz for a four. From then on, Pant made Miraz look like an amateur as he got to his fifties in 88 balls.
Once crossing fifty, some of Pant’s classic shots started to come out.
Rishabh Pant’s manoeuvering in and around the crease can be compared to that of a trapeze artist and his scooped six over fine leg off Hasan Mahmud created Ooo’s and Aah’s in the stands.
Shanto dropped him on seventy two off Shakib but he was intent on going forward. Before he attempted to give back a catch to Mehidy, he reached the three figure mark.
His batting, right from the beginning, had a very understated note – all the runs came through single shots accurately placed, not over-the-top shots. There was an unorthodox short-arm pull or a punch through the covers, everything against the fast bowlers Nahid Rana and Hasan made these shots.
He then hoisted the fifth wicket encomium partnership for another 53 runs off 51 balls with KL Rahul which swept the Indian lead to going beyond 500 runs.
Although it was a chase of a considerable score, Bangladeshi players performed better than the last game. Shanto was one of the players who was important in that fightback. But some of his teammates Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35) got out playing poor shots.
Shanto kept his calm and attacked Ashwin, hitting three sixes off him, one of which came when he scored his fifty in 56 balls.
The last session was played with lights on in view of the fact that the light was rapidly getting bad.
