IND vs BAN: Ashwin-Jadeja Put up Fourth Highest Batting Stand Against Bangladesh

Add as a preferred source on Google

IND vs BAN: India's all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja put up a valiant display on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Thursday, September 19.

Walking into a challenging situation, the duo played a crucial role in turning the tide after India's top six batters were dismissed cheaply, courtesy of a fiery bowling performance from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, led by an impressive opening spell from pacer Hasan Mahmud, had India reeling at 144/6. Mahmud's bowling wreaked havoc on a spicy Chepauk surface, with assistance from the overcast conditions.

He removed India's captain Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli, and the in-form Shubman Gill early in the innings. Following the lunch break, Mahmud continued his dominance, claiming the wicket of the dangerous Rishabh Pant.

Pant was making a comeback to Test cricket after 632 days. India's woes deepened when Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul departed soon after, leaving the hosts in a precarious position with less than 150 runs on the board.

With the team under immense pressure, Ashwin and Jadeja - two players with a wealth of experience at Chepauk - stepped up. Their task was clear: steady the ship and rescue India from a dire situation.

Both all-rounders played sensibly, focusing on rotating the strike and building a partnership. Once they settled in, the pair opened up with confident strokes, shifting the momentum of the match.

Together, they built a formidable partnership of 196 runs for the seventh wicket, marking the highest Test stand for India against Bangladesh for that wicket. Their efforts propelled India into a commanding position by the end of the day's play.

Ashwin reached his sixth Test century, a monumental effort in the face of adversity, while Jadeja remained unbeaten on 86 at stumps. However, on the morning of Day 2, Jadeja's quest for a fifth Test century was cut short.

He was dismissed for 86 by Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed, ending the record partnership. Despite the disappointment of falling short of his hundred, Jadeja's and Ashwin's efforts ensured India regained control of the match.

Their 199-run stand now ranks as the fourth-highest partnership for any wicket for India against Bangladesh, a testament to the duo's ability to perform under pressure. It would have been fifth if not for the two 222 stands - one in 2010 by Dravid and Tendulkar and another in 2017 by Kohli and Rahane.

Top Partnerships for India Against Bangladesh in Tests (any wicket):
1. 283 - Shikhar Dhawan & Murali Vijay, Fatullah, 2015
2. 259 - Gautam Gambhir & Rahul Dravid, Chattogram, 2004
3. 222* - Rahul Dravid & Sachin Tendulkar, Mirpur, 2010
3. 222 - Virat Kohli & Ajinkya Rahane, Hyderabad, 2017
4. 199 - Ravindra Jadeja & Ravichandran Ashwin, Chennai, 2024