Bangladesh 149 and 158 for 4 (Shanto 51*, Ashwin 3-63) want 357 runs to beat India 376 and 287 for 4 dec. (Gill 119*, Pant 109)
Given the circumstances, Gill and Pant, each aggressive batters given to counterattacking, acknowledged that solely they may get themselves out, and put their heads down for giant knocks. They stored respecting good balls, and as soon as in they jumped out of the crease to hit sixes. Gill hit Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who bowled 25 out of India’s 64 second-innings overs, for 4 of them to succeed in 28 sixes in his twenty sixth Take a look at. Pant fancied the left-arm spin of Shakib Al Hasan and hit 4 sixes of his personal to go as much as 59, the seventh-highest for India, in simply 34 Checks. India have now hit 85 sixes in 2024, which leaves them solely 5 in need of breaking the file for many sixes by a workforce in a calendar yr.
What the duo did exterior the sixes was extra spectacular. In contrast to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma, who on the second night simply tried to impose themselves on the bowling, these two started the day respecting the bowling and so they have been content material to defend for some time with out worrying about edges and close-in fielders. Solely within the seventh over of the day did somebody attempt to pressure the difficulty, and Gill did that fantastically with the 2 sixes over huge long-on.
Publish lunch, Pant introduced out his trademark flick behind sq. each off the quicks and the spinners to get to his hundred in simply 118 balls. Gill went there extra calmly, in 161 balls, and KL Rahul performed a number of elegant inside-out drives earlier than the declaration left Bangladesh an hour to bat until tea.
Zakir Hasan got here out filled with intent, driving each off the entrance and the again foot and in addition dismissing Mohammed Siraj for a flicked six. With the ball not doing a lot, he and Shadman Islam stayed looking out for runs, punishing each error in size.
As soon as Ashwin got here on, although, he began to create some mischief, hitting the sticker of the bat right here, taking the within edge there. Publish tea, he and Jasprit Bumrah created three tight overs. Within the fourth, Zakar performed an formidable drive to a ball not almost full sufficient, and Jaiswal ended his innings with a sensational catch low to his left and behind him at gully.
The circumstances made Ashwin work onerous for his wickets. He was even taken for 4 sixes; probably the most he has ever conceded in an innings is 5. He stored plugging away, although, usually slowing his tempo down to attract help from the floor. His first wicket did not come as he would have envisaged as Shadman went again trying to play a size ball behind sq.. It wasn’t quick sufficient, and it took his forefront for a low catch for Gill at quick midwicket.
Ashwin then produced a magnificence to eliminate Mominul Haque, who by no means checked out residence. The drift made him play the road, and the flip was simply sufficient to overlook the sting however not the off stump. Mushfiqur Rahim was a cat on successful tin roof, slog-sweeping Ashwin for a six earlier than hitting one low to Rahul at mid-on. Shakib Al Hasan was even much less settled, however was rescued by unhealthy mild that ended the play early. Amid all this, captain Najmul batted calmly but shortly to finish the day batting on 51 off 60.
Sidharth Monga is a senior author at ESPNcricinfo
