Ravichandran Ashwin’s Stunning Century Rescues India on Day 1 Against Bangladesh

Ravichandran Ashwin’s Stunning Century Rescues India on Day 1 Against Bangladesh

Ravichandran Ashwin notched up his sixth Test century in spectacular fashion on the first day of the 1st Test against Bangladesh, pulling India out of trouble at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Ashwin, known for his all-round skills, faced 108 deliveries, hitting 10 fours and 2 sixes, leaving the Bangladesh bowling attack clueless. Alongside Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin crafted a crucial partnership that shifted the momentum back in India’s favor after an early collapse.

India Struggles Early, Ashwin Steps Up

When Ashwin walked to the crease, India was reeling at 144/6. Most of the top order had already fallen, with captain Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0), and Virat Kohli (6) all failing to make an impact. Yashasvi Jaiswal offered a brief glimmer of hope with his patient 56, but even he couldn’t carry on. After his dismissal, Rishabh Pant (39) and KL Rahul (16) soon followed, leaving India in a precarious position.

It was Ashwin who took the responsibility to stabilize the innings, gradually building a partnership with Jadeja. Bangladesh’s bowlers had looked threatening early on, but Ashwin’s composure and attacking strokes unsettled them. His century was a masterclass in counter-attacking cricket, showing once again why he is regarded as one of the finest all-rounders in the world.

Ashwin’s Knock and Reflections

After reaching his century, Ashwin spoke about his approach to the innings: “It’s an old Chennai surface with a bit of bounce and carry. The red soil pitch allows you to play a few shots if you are willing to just get in line and give it a bit of a tonk when there’s width.”

He admitted that some risks were taken but emphasized that being aggressive was part of his strategy, especially on a challenging surface: “Of course, I have always been wafting my bat around outside off-stump. Worked on a few things and on a surface like this with a bit of spice, if you’re going after the ball, might as well go after it really hard like Rishabh does.”

The Jadeja-Ashwin Partnership

The partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin was the highlight of the day for India. At stumps, India was at 339/6, with both Ashwin and Jadeja unbeaten. Jadeja provided the perfect foil for Ashwin, rotating the strike and playing cautiously while Ashwin counter-attacked.

The duo’s resilience allowed India to recover from a difficult position and placed them in a commanding position going into Day 2. Their unbeaten stand not only rescued India from a possible disaster but also laid a strong foundation for the rest of the match.

Bangladesh’s Missed Opportunities

While Bangladesh started the day brightly, with early wickets causing trouble for India’s top order, they struggled to contain the lower-middle order. The bowlers failed to capitalize on the early breakthroughs and looked helpless as Ashwin and Jadeja began to dominate.

Bangladesh’s pace attack, led by Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, initially found assistance from the pitch but lacked consistency in the latter part of the day. Spinners Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan were also ineffective against the well-set Ashwin and Jadeja, often erring in line and length.

A Crucial Day Ahead

With Ashwin unbeaten and full of confidence, India will be looking to extend their advantage on Day 2. The hosts will aim to post a massive first-innings total, while Bangladesh will need to find a way to break the Ashwin-Jadeja partnership early.

For India, this century by Ashwin marks yet another milestone in his illustrious career, and his ability to perform under pressure continues to be invaluable for the team. The all-rounder’s contribution with both bat and ball will be crucial as the Test progresses, and India will hope his form translates into another memorable performance.