India in complete control of Chennai Test vs Bangladesh as Pant, Gill and Ashwin dazzle on Day 3

After a memorable Day 2, India tightened their grip on the first Test against Bangladesh with another splendid outing on Saturday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The visitors were 158/5 and 357 runs behind the mammoth 515-run target when bad light resulted in early stumps on Day 3.

Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill were the star performers for India with the bat as they scored individual hundreds and the hosts declared on 287/4 in their second innings, setting an improbable-looking target for the Bangla Tigers.

Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam made a brisk start for Bangladesh, scoring 62 for the first wicket before Jasprit Bumrah broke the partnership and Ravichandran Ashwin took three wickets to move India closer to another Test victory at home.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (51) and Shaki Al Hasan (5) will return tomorrow in search of a miracle at the Chepauk, while India will look to wrap things up quickly.

Gill and Pant help India set a mammoth target

Gill had weathered the storm in the afternoon session on Day 2 after India were off to yet another shaky start, remaining unbeaten on 33 as the hosts ended the day on 81/3. On Saturday, Gill continued from where he left off as he brought up his fifth Test hundred, bouncing back in style after getting dismissed for a duck in the first innings.

Also bringing up the three-figure mark was Pant who made a triumphant return to Test cricket for the first time since December 2022. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter smashed 13 fours and four sixes, scoring at a quicker clip compared to Gill as the pair added 167 for the fourth wicket to put the hosts in the driver’s seat.

Gill and Pant had batted through the entire morning session unscathed, with India heading to lunch on 205/3. The latter brought up his century first, going level with MS Dhoni for most Test centuries by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter.

He would, however, depart the very next over after bringing up the milestone as off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz collected a catch off his own bowling to end the marathon partnership.

Gill and KL Rahul hung around for a while, awaiting Rohit Sharma’s signal for the dressing room. The former brought up his century in 161 balls shortly after Pant’s dismissal while Rahul, who had been dismissed for 16 in the first innings, produced an attacking 22 off just 19 balls to help the hosts collect some quick runs before declaration.

Rohit eventually called Gill and Rahul back into the dressing room 13 overs into the second session, at which point India’s lead had crossed 500, setting an improbable target for the Tigers.