Chennai: India captain Rohit Sharma praised his bowlers for beating Bangladesh in the first Test, helping them post a big 280-run win at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
In the first innings, the pace troika of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep rattled Bangladesh batters in the middle. In the second essay, the spin combo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined for nine wickets, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-match World Test Championship.
“No matter what the conditions are, whether we play in India, whether we play outside, we want to build the team around (bowling). Whatever the condition has to offer, we got to be ready for it. In the last few years, wherever we have played, we have managed to have that in our armoury, whether it is seam bowling options or spin bowling options. You have to give credit to the guys; whenever there is a responsibility, they never shy away from it, and they want to put their hand up and get the job done for the team,” Rohit said after the win.
During the first two days of the Test, Chennai’s red-soil pitch, known for its unique characteristics that challenge the bowlers, delivered good pace and bounce. Spinners, who took only five of the first 24 wickets, had to adjust to the conditions before turn and bounce took hold on the last day. Rohit stressed the need of patience with both bat and ball.
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“The red soil pitch always has something to offer. You need to have a little bit of patience as well. You don’t see much happening straightaway. This was a pitch where we had to show a lot of patience whether we bat or bowl. We were patient enough with the bat to get those big runs, and then with the ball as well, we were patient enough to hit the right areas and put them under pressure consistently,” the opener said.
Rohit commended comeback player Rishabh Pant, who made his sixth Test century, matching MS Dhoni’s record for the most tonnes by an Indian wicketkeeper.
Rohit Sharma paid tribute to Rishabh Pant’s journey, acknowledging the tough times he had endured. He expressed his admiration for Pant’s resilience and determination, particularly his successful return to the IPL and the World Cup. Pant’s love for the game and his dedication to the format were evident in his performance, making his success all the more inspiring.
“For us, it was never about what he is going to do with the bat, we always knew what he had with the bat and with the gloves as well. It was just about giving him the game time. Credit to him as well; he went on to play Duleep Trophy and got ready for this test match, which had an impact straightaway in the game,” he added.
The second and final Test of the series will be played at Kanpur’s Green Park from September 27, promising another exciting battle between the two teams.
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–IANS
Photo: IANS/R. Parthibhan
