Key Takeaways
- Shubman Gill and Rishab Pant’s half centuries put India in command in the first test against Bangladesh.
- India reached 205 for three in 51 overs, swelling the overall lead to 432 runs.
- The Bangladesh bowlers struggled to take advantage of the overcast conditions, allowing Gill and Pant to dominate the game.
Chennai: Stroke filled half centuries by Shubman Gill and left hander Rishab Pant put India in a commanding position at lunch on the third day of the first test against Bangladesh here on Saturday.
India started the day at 81 for three and continued their strong start, reaching 205 for three in 51 overs. This surge in runs took the overall lead to 432, putting Bangladesh under pressure.
India scored 124 runs in the session in 28 overs without losing a wicket, as both the batsmen have so far added 138 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket in 31.4 overs.
Gill was unbeaten on 86 at the break, while Pant was batting on 82, hitting nine fours and three sixers in his aggressive innings.
Incessant rains since late last night, raised concerns of a delayed start. However, the match resumed as scheduled under overcast conditions, but the Bangladesh bowlers, especially the pacers, failed to take advantage of it.
Bangladesh adopted pace-spin attack in a bid to break the shackles. But Gill and Pant, rose to the occasion with some fine exhibition of stroke play.
After being rather sedate initially, both of them used their feet against the spinners, besides cutting and driving the fast bowlers, with elan.
Despite lunch break approaching, both the players shifted gears as India scored 50 runs in the last six overs, including 10 in the last over by Pant of left arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, as he at times outscored his partner.
None of bowlers–pacers and the spinners–could not make any impact as Gill and Pant played non-chalantly to take the game beyond the reach of Bangladesh.
Both of them will try to go for quicker runs after the break,with declaration in sight
