Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that he adopted teammate Rishabh Pant’s aggressive batting approach during his crucial knock on Day 1 of India’s Chennai Test against Bangladesh on September 19. Ashwin’s fiery unbeaten 102 off 112 balls, combined with Ravindra Jadeja’s resilient half-century, saved India from a top-order collapse earlier in the day.
At stumps, Ashwin explained that he opted for a Rishabh Pant-style aggressive approach against the Bangladesh bowling attack, a strategy that paid off for both him and the team. Ashwin praised Pant’s fearless attitude at the crease and decided to channel that mindset to counter Bangladesh’s bowlers, which ultimately worked to India’s advantage.
IND vs BAN 1st Test, Day 1: Highlights
“Always special to play in front of a home crowd, it’s a ground I completely love. Last time I got a hundred here, you [Ravi Shastri] were the coach. It does feel special. It helps that I’m coming off a T20 tournament, and worked quite a bit on batting and playing shots. I’ve always been giving the ball a waft,” Ashwin said.
“On a surface like this, it’s better to go hard like Rishabh does. It’s an old-school Chennai surface with bounce and carry. When there is width, you can give it a tonk. I love playing when there is bounce and carry. I enjoyed myself today,” Ashwin added.
India’s star players, including skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul, failed to make a significant impact at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. However, Ashwin and Jadeja took control, guiding the home side to a more respectable total with a 195-run partnership that swung the momentum in India’s favour.
Apart from Ashwin and Jadeja’s stellar performances, Yashasvi Jaiswal and the returning Rishabh Pant also contributed to stabilising India’s innings, helping the team reach the 144-run mark after an early slump.
By the end of Day 1, India stood at 339/6, with both in-form batters Ashwin and Jadeja still at the crease. The team will be hoping to extend their lead and capitalize on their solid foundation as they head into the second day of the match. Ashwin’s century, his seventh in Test cricket, and Jadeja’s consistent support have set the stage for India to potentially build a formidable total against Bangladesh.
