Chennai: India may have secured a resounding victory over Bangladesh in the first Test but on the opening day, they were staring down the barrel after being reduced to 144/6. Bangladesh, especially young pacer Hasan Mahmud, was breathing fire.
The game then changed on its head as R Ashwin struck a counter-attacking 113 off 133 balls and his spinning partner in crime Ravindra Jadeja hit an equally purposeful 86 off 124 balls. Together the duo, who shared a fierce rivalry when they started off a decade ago but now enjoy good camaraderie, stitched together a superb 199-run stand.
That partnership allowed India to post 376 all out after which the hosts never lifted their foot off the pedal to secure a thumping 280-run victory eventually. The 38-year-old Ashwin, delighted after bagging his 10th Player of the Match award, heaped praise on his longtime comrade in arms.
“I think he is quite an inspirational story as far as I am concerned. Jadeja made his Test debut just after me (11 months). I saw how he used to bat. Then I was batting ahead of him at one stage and then he batted. He has actually walked in at No. 5 for us several times. Many of these occasions over the last 3 or 4 years, when he has walked in to bat, I felt so good in the dressing room. You feel so calm and composed when he is batting,” said Ashwin of Jadeja at the post-match press conference on Sunday.
“He has brought that kind of assurance. And someone who is an all-rounder, who is a bowler who can bat, to turn himself being such an impeccable batsman... played some great knocks for us overseas as well. Such an inspirational story about how he has found his off-stump, how disciplined he has managed to be, how he has contributed. So, all in all, I envy him. I am jealous of him but totally admire him.”
A good feature about this Indian team, especially since the start of the England series earlier this year, has been the fielding. Young guns Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill have been good at slips and at other close-in catching like forward short-leg and silly point. Even Sarfaraz Khan was a lively presence during the England series at close-in position.
Ashwin hailed fielding coach T Dilip for it. “Actually one day, we searched for our fielding coach and put Dilip sir’s name on Google. It turned out to be an internet personality. So unfair. Slip-catching was a bit challenging 1-2 years ago. But, the way Jaiswal has shown improvement in slip-catching in the last 1-2 years (has been good). In South Africa he caught a good catch.
“KL Rahul is an amazing fielder in the second slip. And by replacing him, he was standing in the second slip. So, according to me, they worked really hard. And close in catching. Shot-leg was a very difficult thing and we were not getting good fielders. Jaiswal used to volunteer and stand up. He (Dilip) is not an internet personality. He is a celebrity fielding coach. Superstar.”