IND vs BAN, 1st Test: Pant, Gill bag tons and help India set mammoth target of 515 on third day

Before a fading light closed the day about an hour ahead of schedule, R. Ashwin snapped his home crowd from imminent slumber with three quick wickets that opened the prospect of a Sunday morning finale.

India’s Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant greet each other after both scoring a hundred during the match between India vs Bangladesh IDFC first Test match at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. | Photo Credit: The Hindu/RAGU R

India may well be on its march towards an inevitable victory, but the twin centuries of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, that lent a redeeming touch to their fortunes in the format, were the most rewarding subplots of the host’s commanding show on the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here. 

The duo’s 167-run stand for the fourth wicket, which blossomed on a pitch that turned increasingly docile and hardly prompted a false shot in the first session, set Bangladesh a record-target of 515 at this venue, of which the visitor got 158 for the loss of four wickets. 

A 629-day hiatus from red-ball cricket warranted an inordinate number of eyeballs on Pant, and the southpaw gave a glowing account of his fitness and shot selection. He observed a vigil outside off-stump and defended solidly for his 88-ball half-century before rushing to his sixth Test ton off 124 balls, his last 50 runs coming off 36 deliveries. 

AS IT HAPPENED: India vs Bangladesh highlights, 1st Test Day 3

Though Pant’s blockbuster show was punctuated by the odd jaw-dropping shot, his game awareness turned the innings into an epic. His 41 balls against pace yielded just 26 runs as Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed probed away on a good length in the channel.

Pant had fallen victim to an indiscretion outside off-stump in the first innings and was in no mood to allow a similar temptation to dictate terms. He had taken matters into his own hands late on Friday, with a four and a six off Shakib Al Hasan that were his first scoring shots. 

He bid his time under a thick cloud cover on Saturday, even playing out Mehidy Hasan Miraz for two maiden overs. Once he got his eye in and acquainted himself with the rhythms of red-ball cricket, he danced down the wicket, swept, employing both the conventional and reverse variants – to take a toll on the spinners with 83 runs off 89 balls. 

He middled them all – barring a reprieve at mid-on on 72 when Najmul Hossain Shanto spilt a sitter. A sweep off Mahmud over fine-leg for six with a characteristic arching of the back and bending of the knees was telltale that Pant had veritably arrived. 

A ramp and a sweep for consecutive boundaries followed his century before he thumped one straight back to Miraz. 

Gill played with a near-flawlessness that belied an average of just over 35 in the format – which also constantly keeps a sword dangling over his spot in the XI. 

He employed his strokes against pace too, riding the bounce on either side of the wicket, and got to the pitch of the ball with an assured footwork against the spinners. 

India’s R. Ashwin celebrating after taking the wicket of Mominul Haque of Bangladesh. | Photo Credit: RAGU R/The Hindu

His century and the trademark bow that followed perhaps wasn’t greeted with as much enthusiasm as Pant’s. However, the duo’s partnership resonated with an assurance of a bright Test season ahead – at home and Down Under. 

A promising 62-run opening stand to Bangladesh’s chase not only meant the visitors wouldn’t hand India the advantage of an extra rest day but also spoke of a resilience missing in the first essay. 

Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam made Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj toil for success before the former induced an outside edge that was agilely taken by Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully to send Hasan back. 

Before a fading light closed the day about an hour ahead of schedule, R. Ashwin snapped his home crowd from imminent slumber with three quick wickets that opened the prospect of a Sunday morning finale.