The third overcast morning in four days brought a sense of gloom over Bangladesh’s chances in the first Test against India at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. However, the gloom deepened when Ravichandran Ashwin, a man who seemingly can do no wrong at home, began his mesmerizing performance on the fourth day.
Ashwin, who had already claimed three wickets the previous day, was introduced into the attack after the first hour of play and immediately made his presence felt. His fourth delivery of the day found the inside edge of Shakib Al Hasan’s bat, with Yashasvi Jaiswal at short-leg displaying remarkable agility to take a sharp catch.
Faced with an imminent defeat, Mehidy Hasan Miraz chose to go down fighting, but his valiant effort was thwarted by Ravindra Jadeja at long-on. The crowd erupted in delight as their homegrown hero, Ashwin, achieved a remarkable feat for the fourth time: scoring a century and taking a five-wicket haul in the same innings.
Ashwin’s sixth wicket came when Taskin Ahmed was caught at mid-on, attempting a desperate shot. Najmul Hossain Shanto, who had displayed resilience with a fine exhibition of sweeps and reverse-sweeps, was also dismissed after a promising innings.
In a bid to reach a century, Shanto was tempted by a Jadeja delivery that bounced awkwardly, resulting in a mistimed shot that was taken by Jasprit Bumrah.
Hasan Mahmud, who had tormented India’s top order on the first day, was the last man to fall. Jadeja bowled him with a delivery that beat his attempted heave, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Mohammed Siraj emerged as an unlikely crowd favorite, his frequent verbal salvos after dismissing Shanto adding to the day’s entertainment. However, it was Ashwin who stole the show, delivering a masterclass performance that wrapped up the game by 11:18 am on Sunday morning. The crowd was left in awe of Ashwin’s brilliance, as he had turned an entire Sunday afternoon into a celebration of India’s dominance.
