Chennai: Since the start of 2013, the Indian team has won a whopping 40 Tests at home and lost a mere four. They’ve also a won a mind-boggling 17 consecutive series at home, vanquishing one and all with some comfort. One of the major reasons behind this overwhelming dominance — a record which even the great West Indian and Australian sides of the past don’t boast about — is their ability to find heroes whenever the chips are down.
On Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the opening day of the first Test against a determined Bangladesh, it was the old guard of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who adorned those superhero capes, the duo forging an incredible rescue act with an unbroken 195-run stand for the seventh wicket after the visiting bowlers left the Indians in deep trouble at 144/6.
Ashwin, who turned 38 on Tuesday and possibly playing his last Test at his home ground, was the Batman with an uncharacteristically hyper-aggressive 112-ball 102 not out — his sixth Test century — while Jadeja played the Robin role to perfection with an equally smash-mouth 86 not out off 117 balls, taking India to stumps at 339/6 in 80 overs.
Blessed with a super intelligent cricketing brain and having learned the sport at this very ground, Ashwin figured the best form of defence on a lively Chepauk wicket is offence despite him joining forces with Jadeja a little before tea with India staring down the barrel.
Tearaway young pacer Nahid Rana had prised out the well-set Yashasvi Jaiswal (56) and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz had KL Rahul caught at short line leg in a space of five balls as Bangladesh were making the ball talk on a lively surface. The situation demanded defensive discipline but Ashwin had his own plans.
He announced his intention the very second ball he faced, smashing Rana for a boundary. And when he slapped the 21-year-pacer for a second boundary five balls later, one knew Ashwin was in a mood to entertain his fans. Gorgeous drives, few of them which were almost VVS Laxman like in terms of timing, cuts in front of square and the delicate ones over slips, Ashwin simply dominated the pacers who until then were making life difficult for the top-order batters.
Ashwin extended the carnage on spinners Shakib All Hasan and Mehidy as well, barely allowing the duo to settle into any sort of rhythm. He used his feet exceptionally, getting to the pitch of the ball quite often and creaming them for boundaries at will. The couple of sixes — one a slog sweep off Shakib and another over deep midwicket off Mehidy — were a thing of beauty, almost a throwback to the era when Indian batters treated visiting spinners with utter disdain.
It was, however, not just bang-bang T20 batting from Ashwin. It was exceptional shot selection, knowing exactly which ball to attack and which one to defend and he executed that strategy to pinpoint perfection. “On a surface like this, it's better to go hard like Rishabh (Pant) does. It's an old-school Chennai surface with bounce and carry. When there is width, you can give it a tonk. Love playing when there is bounce and carry, enjoyed myself today. Jadeja was of real help, there was a point where I was sweating and tiring but Jaddu helped me through the phase,” said an elated Ashwin.
Jadeja definitely deserves an equal amount of praise for ensuring the advantage swung India’s way. Unlike Ashwin he didn’t go hard at the bowlers but mixed caution with aggression to a nicety. He chose to defend against the pacers and attack the spinners, slowly switching gears as his innings grew.
The job is still not over and India will be hoping Ashwin and Jadeja bat as long as possible that put them in a completely commanding position.
SCORE BOARD
India (First Innings): Jaiswal c Shadman b Rana 56 (118b 9x4) Rohit c Najmul b Mahmud 6 (19b 1x4) Gill c Litton b Mahmud 0 (8b) Kohli c Litton b Mahmud 6 (6b) Pant c Litton b Mahmud 39 (52b 6x4) Rahul c Zakir b Mehidy 16 (52b 1x4) Jadeja (batting) 86 (117b 10x4 2x6) Ashwin (batting) 102 (112b 10x4 2x6)
Extras (B-18 LB-5 NB-4 W-1) 28
Total (for 6 wkts 80 overs) 339
Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Rohit) 2-28 (Gill) 3-34 (Kohli) 4-96 (Pant) 5-144 (Jaiswal) 6-144 (Rahul).
Bowling: Taskin 15-1-47-0 Mahmud 18-4-58-4 Rana 17-2-80-1 Mehidy 21-2-77-1 Shakib 8-0-50-0 Mominul 1-0-4-0.