IND vs BAN 1st Test Day 3 Report: Day 3 at in Chennai was another day of dominance for the hosts, as India are now 6 wickets away from taking a 1-0 lead in the series, while Bangladesh are 357 runs away from the target of 515.
The day started with Pant and Gill carrying on from their solidity from last evening, and the pair went on to notch up their respective centuries. India declared their second innings at 287/4, asking Bangladesh to go after an insurmountable target of 515. The visitors have lost four wickets for 158 runs.
IND vs BAN 1st Test Day 3 Report:
The first wicketless session of the match saw Pant and Gill reach their respective half-centuries and move toward a three-figure score. With both of them ending the first session in their 80s, India’s lead had swelled to 432 runs, and the hosts had already effectively batted the visitors out of the game.
The seam movement that had brought the wickets in the first two days had seemed to die out today. Despite that, both Pant and Gill remained cautious in the first half an hour of play and only attacked the loose balls. However, once they assessed that the pitch wasn’t offering anything to the bowlers, both went on the attack. The pair combined to crack five sixes in the first session today, and even a couple of their mishits went over the rope.
Pant gave a catching opportunity just before lunch through a mistimed slog sweep, but Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped it at midwicket.
Post lunch, the duo came out in a mood to impose themselves even more on the Bangladeshi bowlers. Pant danced down the track and thumped Shakib Al Hasan for a six before bringing up his sixth Test ton, perhaps the most emotional one of all, as he completed a miraculous comeback to Test cricket from his life-threatening car accident. He brought out his trademark flick over fine leg a couple of times before giving a return catch to Miraz for 119.
At the other end, Gill reached his fifth Test century, and his third this year, through some brisk boundaries. KL Rahul showed some of his class with four fours in his 19-ball 22-run unbeaten stay before India declared, setting the visitors a gigantic target of 515 runs.
Bangladeshi openers came out with plenty of intent, especially Zakir Hasan, who flayed five boundaries along with a six to Siraj, but Jasprit Bumrah got him after tea. The other opener, Shadman Islam, became the first victim of R Ashwin in this Test.
The pitch now started to give Ashwin some grip and turn, but Bangladesh wanted to attack the ace India spinner. Thus, Shanto and Rahim smoked Ashwin for four sixes. But the veteran off-spinner had the last laugh. Ashwin turned one past Mominul Haque’s outside edge and knocked his off-stump before dismissing Rahim, caught at mid-on. Bangladesh captain Shanto reached his half-century and remained unbeaten on 51 off 60 balls at stumps, which was called 9.4 overs early today due to bad light.
Also Read: India vs Bangladesh Highlights
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