India skipper Rohit Sharma had a strong start to the busy Test season, leading his team to a commanding victory in the first Test against Bangladesh at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. India won by 280 runs, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
It was also a successful debut for new head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar in Test cricket. Rohit, though not at his best with the bat, was praised for his smart bowling rotations and effective field placements, bringing out the best in his teammates.
Off the field, a lighthearted moment emerged from the Indian dressing room, where assistant coach Nayar was seen tugging Rohit’s ear in a playful manner, much to the amusement of Ravichandran Ashwin.
In the match, India overcame a shaky start at 144/6, thanks to a 199-run partnership between Ashwin (who scored a century) and Ravindra Jadeja (87), helping the team post 376 in the first innings. Jasprit Bumrah then led the bowling attack, taking four wickets, while Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep contributed two wickets each, bundling out Bangladesh for 149.
In India’s second innings, Shubman Gill (119) and Rishabh Pant (109) hit brilliant centuries, setting Bangladesh a target of 555. Ashwin sealed the win with six wickets in the final innings, supported by Jadeja with three. India now heads to Kanpur for the second Test, aiming for a 2-0 series sweep starting on September 27.