The first Test between India and Bangladesh began on Thursday, September 19, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, marking the start of India’s Test season, which includes three Tests against New Zealand next month.
Fans were eager to see their favorite players in action, but many faced difficulties due to long waits for physical tickets outside the stadium.
In an unexpected move, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) only made season tickets available online, forcing fans wanting single-day tickets to queue at the stadium for collection and entry.
Despite the excitement surrounding the series and Ravichandran Ashwin’s century on Day 1, attendance has been lower than expected, surprising many given Chennai’s love for Test cricket.
India posted 376 in their first innings, with Ashwin top-scoring with 113 and Ravindra Jadeja contributing 86. Bangladesh struggled in reply, bowled out for 149, with Jasprit Bumrah taking 4/50.
Despite a 227-run lead, India chose not to enforce the follow-on and ended Day 2 in a strong position, although Rohit Sharma’s low scores in both innings left fans disappointed.