India tightened their grip on the first Test against Bangladesh as Jasprit Bumrah led the way with a brilliant bowling performance, dismissing the visitors for 149 in their first innings. On a day where 17 wickets tumbled—one of the most action-packed days in Test cricket at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium—India stretched their lead to 308 runs by stumps, despite losing three crucial wickets in their second innings. Bumrah's four-wicket haul headlined a dominant display by the Indian pace attack, which exploited the unexpected assistance from the pitch, continuing the theme of pace domination in this Test.
India resumed their innings on Friday morning, hoping to build on their overnight score of 339 for 6, but managed to add just 37 more runs before being bowled out for 376. Bangladesh’s response was lackluster as their top-order struggled against the Indian quicks. Bumrah, with the red ball in hand, set the tone early by bowling opener Shadman Islam with a precision delivery that clipped the top of the off-stump in just the first over. Bumrah’s bowling, brimming with control and menace, made the most of the conditions, which had been unusually helpful to the pacers in Chennai.
Akash Deep, India’s first-change bowler, joined in the carnage, striking twice in his second over, reducing Bangladesh to 26 for 3. The relentless pressure continued, as Mohammed Siraj chipped in after lunch, dismissing Bangladesh’s captain Najmul Shanto for 20, the highest score among the top five.
Bumrah further showcased his prowess by removing the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim with an enticing delivery outside off-stump, leaving Bangladesh tottering at 40 for 5. The middle-order pair of Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das tried to provide some resistance, adding 51 crucial runs for the sixth wicket. However, Rohit Sharma’s astute captaincy came to the fore, as he set a trap for Litton Das, withdrawing the short-leg fielder and placing a deep fielder in the leg side. Litton, tempted by the open space, attempted a lofted sweep against Ravindra Jadeja and was caught in the deep by substitute Dhruv Jurel.
Shakib followed soon after, falling victim to a reverse sweep that ended in disaster as Jadeja claimed another scalp. Bumrah then wrapped up the tail with his trademark yorkers, dismissing Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud. Mehidy Hasan Miraz fought valiantly, finishing unbeaten on 27, but ran out of partners as Bangladesh folded for 149.
India’s decision not to enforce the follow-on allowed their batsmen to extend the lead, but they stumbled early in their second innings. Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Virat Kohli were all dismissed cheaply, with Rohit and Kohli suffering rare twin failures in the same Test. Despite the mini-collapse, India reached 81 for 3 by the end of the day’s play, with Shubman Gill and Ajinkya Rahane at the crease.
Jasprit Bumrah’s performance was the highlight of the day, as he achieved the milestone of 400 international wickets, becoming only the 10th Indian bowler to do so. His ability to extract both bounce and movement from the pitch underscored why he is considered one of the finest bowlers in the world across all formats. With India holding a commanding lead and Bangladesh’s batting frailties exposed, the visitors face an uphill task to avoid a comprehensive defeat.
Rohit Sharma’s tactical acumen was also on full display, as he rotated his bowlers smartly, ensuring that Bangladesh never found any breathing room. The Indian bowlers, led by Bumrah, combined brilliantly as a unit, maintaining unrelenting pressure on the opposition. As the Test heads into its final stages, India appears to be in complete control, with a victory almost certain unless Bangladesh produces an extraordinary batting performance in their second innings.
Â
