Jasprit Bumrah’s Chennai Test special wrecks Bangladesh on 17-wicket Day 2

The conditions in Chennai continued to deviate from the norms of Test cricket in India as pace dominated the proceedings for the second successive day in the first Test between India and Bangladesh. After R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s rescue act helped India recover from 144 for 6 and post 376 in their first innings, Jasprit Bumrah relished the conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium as he led the Indian bowling group that bundled the tourists for 149 in their first innings.
India lost openers Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli cheaply in their second innings and were 81 for 3 at the close of play, but they had enough — 308 runs — in the bank to feel confident of another home victory. After India did not enforce the follow-on, Rohit and Kohli suffered rare twin failures in the first Test of the home season, but new coach Gautam Gambhir-led dressing room wouldn’t be concerned much.
IND vs BAN, Chennai Test Highlights
Unlike Thursday, the sun was shining brightly in the morning, but the red ball continued to dance to the tunes of the fast bowlers. India were able to add only 37 runs to their overnight score, after which Bangladesh’s first innings did not even last two sessions. 17 wickets, the most in a day’s play in Chennai, fell on Friday and 14 of them were taken by the fast bowlers.
Jasprit Bumrah would have loved to have a crack at the Bangladesh batters as early as Thursday morning, but he was gleaming with confidence as he took the red cherry in his hand and opened India’s bowling in the first session on Friday. Bumrah added to the tension in the Bangladesh dressing room as early as the first over of the innings, coming up with a series of unplayable deliveries before knocking the top of the off-stump to send opener Shadman Islam back to the change room.
Bumrah relished the extra support for the fast bowlers from the Chennai pitch and got the Bangladesh batters hoping and ducking at the crease. The sustained pressure from the Indian bowlers worked in their favour as first-change bowler Akash Deep picked two wickets in his second over to leave Bangladesh reeling at 26 for 3.
Even during their historic 2-0 win in Pakistan, Bangladesh’s top-order failed to come to the party. On Friday, the middle-order was not able to do the heavy lifting as India’s superior bowling unit dictated terms. Senior campaigners Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan were not able to anchor the innings like every Indian bowler, barring hometown hero R Ashwin.
Bumrah did not get as much assistance in the second session on Friday and that is when he conjured magic, showcasing why he is one of the best all-conditions bowlers India has ever had.
Mohammed Siraj joined the party after Lunch, getting the wicket of Bangladesh captain Najmul Shanto (20), who tried to steady the ship.
Jasprit Bumrah then got the big wicket of senior campaigner Mushfiqur Rahim, dangling the carrot outside the off-stump.
Bangladesh were reduced to 40 for 5 before Shakib AL Hasan and Litton Das resisted the India charge.
Rohit Sharma’s mastery of reading the game situation and the conditions shone through as he kept rotating the bowlers on a hot afternoon. The spells were short but intense as Bangladesh were never allowed to release pressure.
Litton and Shakib added 51 runs for the sixth wicket before the former fell into the trap set by the Indian captain. Rohit took the short leg away and placed a deep fielder in the leg side for Ravindra Jadeja, who broke the partnership. Litton, tempted by the acres of space on the leg side, went for a lofted sweep and was caught in the deep by substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel.
Rohit was delighted as the plan worked. Jadeja got another one in his very next over after a brain fade moment from Shakib AL Hasan, who made a meal of a reverse sweep while batting on 22.
Bumrah then returned to take care of the tail. He set up Taskin Ahmed with some hostile bouncers before unleashing a yorker that was too good for the lower-order batter. Bumrah also picked the wicket of Hasan Mahmud.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz waged a lone battle in the end, but he ran out of partners as Bangladesh were bundled out for 149.
Bumrah completed 400 international wickets, becoming only the 10th Indian bowler to do so.