Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar lauded wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for his century, pointing out that the left-hander has got a fine defensive technique like legendary former skipper MS Dhoni. Centuries from Gill and Rishabh Pant helped India set a massive 515-run target in the first Test at Chennai. The two future batting stars for India took Bangladeshi bowling apart with some ruthless hitting, continuing their fine form in the long format.
Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Manjrekar said, “It is a misleading package we see with Rishabh Pant. Underneath that, you will see as many dot balls in his innings at Shubman Gill’s so he is willing to also play the defensive game that we have seen many times in the past. He has got a pretty good defensive technique, bit like Dhoni, whose defensive technique was quite good. People talk about the leadership and the big-hitting power that Dhoni had, but his defensive technique was pretty good, and the same with Rishabh Pant as well.”
Manjrekar said that Pant was not taking too many chances against off-spinners and he is a player with his “own way of getting runs and his own agenda” like the legendary opener Virender Sehwag.
“We have seen these phases but it’s about Pant playing as per the situation, sometimes dependent on his mood but also very careful about choosing the right kind of bowlers. As long as there were off-spinners bowling, he was not taking too many chances. So he is that kind of player who has his own way of getting runs and has his own agenda – a bit like Virender Sehwag. When India goes to Australia, that is when they truly need him,” he added.
Coming to the match, Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first.
The top-order collapsed, and India was left at 34/3. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (56 in 118 balls, with nine fours) and Rishabh Pant (39 in 52 balls, with six fours) stitched a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket, bringing India into the game. After India was reduced to 144/6, Ravichandran Ashwin (113 in 133 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes) and Ravindra Jadeja (86* in 117 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes) stitched a 199-run partnership, helping India reach 376 in 91.2 overs.
Hasan Mahmud (5/83) was the top bowler for Bangladesh, destroying the Indian top order, removing skipper Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0), and Virat Kohli (6). Taskin Ahmed also took three wickets for 55 runs.
In their first innings, Bangladesh lost wickets regularly. Shakib Al Hasan (32), Litton Das (22) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (27*) put up a brief fight for Bangladesh, but Bumrah (4/50) and Akash Deep (2/19) broke the back of Bangladesh batting. Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each. Bangladesh was bundled out for 149 runs in their first inning and trailed by 227 runs.
In their second innings, India once again lost their top-order quickly and was struggling at 67/3. But centuries from Gill (119*) and Rishabh Pant (109 in 128 balls, with 13 fours and four sixes) helped them reach 287/4 before the innings was declared. Bangladesh was set a massive 515 to win.
Bangladesh started off the run-chase well, with openers Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35) putting up a 62-run opening stand. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (51* in 60 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) held the innings together as Ravichandran Ashwin (3/63) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/18) were among the wickets. At the end of day three, Bangladesh was 158/4, with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (51*) and Shakib Al Hasan (5*) unbeaten.
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