India thrashes Bangladesh by 7 wkts in 2 days of test cricket, win series 2-0

 

The first day saw only 35 overs of play. No balls were bowled on the second and third days, yet the Test match had a result. The reason: India's aggressive, T20-style play with the red ball and dominance by their bowlers. India defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets in the Kanpur Test.

The first day of play started an hour late due to rain interruptions. Apart from the lunch break, only about three hours of play occurred. A Test match usually involves six hours of play a day, excluding breaks for lunch and tea, which adds up to 30 hours over five days. However, India managed to win the match in just 14 hours of play.

On the first day, Bangladesh scored 107 runs in 35 overs. After two days were washed out, they resumed on the fourth day, but their innings ended at 233 runs in 74.2 overs. When India came out to bat, it was clear they were playing to win. In the very first over, Yashasvi Jaiswal hit three fours, and Rohit Sharma smashed two sixes off the first two balls. Their intent was to score quickly and send Bangladesh back to bat as soon as possible. This aggressive approach was evident across the Indian lineup, reminiscent of England's "Bazball" strategy. Bangladesh's bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen, with five of India's top six batsmen having strike rates over 100. Yashasvi scored 72 off 51 balls, Rohit contributed 23 off just 11 balls, Virat Kohli made 47 off 35 balls, and KL Rahul added 68 off 43 balls. This aggression helped India take a 52-run lead before declaring their innings, sending Bangladesh back to bat.

This mindset of playing to win, even with just two and a half days left, set India apart from Bangladesh. Scoring at over eight runs per over is common in T20 cricket, but doing so on Kanpur's difficult pitch, where the ball barely rose above knee height, was a tough challenge. India took on this challenge head-on, and that innings proved decisive in the outcome of the match.

Despite India's lead being only 52 runs, Bangladesh could not put up a fight in their second innings. Opener Shadman Islam scored 50, but Zakir Hasan (10), Mominul Haque (2), captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (19), Litton Das (1), and Shakib Al Hasan (0) all failed to contribute. No spine was shown by any of the senior Bangladesh batters and they were not ready to slug it out . India's bowlers dominated, with Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja each taking three wickets. Akash Deep took the crucial wicket of Shadman, Bangladesh's top scorer. As Bangladesh collapsed, they set India a target of just 95 runs.

The match ended in two sessions on the fifth day. India chased down the target in just 17.2 overs. Although Rohit Sharma (8) and Shubman Gill (6) didn’t score much, Yashasvi (51) and Virat (29) guided India to the verge of victory. Yashasvi  like in the first innings , again played some  breathtaking shots and got the 2nd 50 of the match.  Even though Yashasvi was dismissed, Kohli remained unbeaten, and Rishabh Pant sealed the win with a boundary.

India's dominance over Bangladesh was clear, both in Chennai and Kanpur. India played exactly the way they wanted, showcasing their adaptability. In the first Test, despite early batsmen failing to score big, Ashwin and Jadeja helped the team post a strong total, with Ashwin scoring a century. In Kanpur, Ashwin and Jadeja's partnership with the ball was pivotal in securing the victory. The presence of these two all-rounders has strengthened India significantly, and Ashwin was named the Player of the Series.

Yashasvi was named Player of the Match in Kanpur. He scored three half-centuries in the two-match series and was India's highest run-scorer with 189 runs. The young opener is proving to be a valuable asset to the Indian team. While Rohit didn’t score big, Yashasvi provided the stability India needed in each match.

With Yashasvi's youth and Ashwin's experience, this combination is enriching the Indian team, which will be crucial in upcoming Test series against New Zealand and Australia. India has also strengthened its position in the World Test Championship.