Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], Nov 14 : India bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin hailed Bangladesh’s “very very brave” decision to bat after winning the toss in the first Test match here on Thursday.
“I personally thought it was a very very brave decision to bat first having won the toss. We didn’t expect that. We thought they will bowl but they batted first which is very commendable on their part. Some of the batsmen batted beautifully in the morning. It is never easy to come and play on the wicket that has got a bit of life,” Ashwin told reporters.
The 33-year-old termed Indian pace trio of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav as ‘lethal pace bowling attack’. Shami picked three wickets while Yadav and Sharma scalped two wickets each to bundle Bangladesh to 150.
Bangla Tigers suffered a double blow in the innings as they lost their openers Imrul Kyles (6) and Shadman Islam (6) cheaply.
Mohammad Mithun and skipper Mominul Haque built a brief-stand of 19 runs for the third wicket. Mithun was picked by pacer Mohammed Shami in front of the wickets after scoring 13 runs.
Mushfiqur Rahim joined Haque in the middle and provided a steady partnership of 68-run for the fourth wicket before the latter was scalped by Ashwin.
Haque played a knock of 37 runs. Mahmudullah along with Rahim added 16-run for the fifth wicket. Mahmudullah was scalped by Ashwin after playing a knock of 10 runs.
The last recognised batting pair of Bangladesh Rahim and Liton Das built a stand of 25-run before Rahim (43) was sent back to the pavilion by Shami reducing Bangladesh to 140/6.
After Rahim’s dismissal, Bangladesh kept on losing wickets at a regular interval and were all out on 150.
“I think it is one of the lethal pace bowling attacks going around the world. If not the best I’m just saying to put a disclaimer, I don’t want people judging me that comment. But I think they are right up there and this is one of the best bowling attacks I have seen,” Ashwin said.
“Today I felt there was a bit of nibble through the day if you hit the seam in the right areas there was something in the pitch. Even when Bangladesh bowled, they got a few balls to go off the deck. The surface is a good sporting one. Hopefully, tomorrow morning we can capitalise on what we did today,” he added.
India scored 86 runs with a loss of one wicket after the play ended on day one. Opener Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma came in bat for the hosts.
Sharma (6) lost his wicket early to Abu Jayed at the score of 14/1 in 7.2 overs.
Cheteshwar Pujara joined Agarwal in the middle and built an unbeaten stand of 72 runs for the second wicket. Pujara and Agarwal will resume their innings from 43 and 37 runs respectively on day two.
“Indore crowd is always been fabulous. The last Test we played here was a full-packed house on the last day. The amount of cricket that’s been played here is not as high as the other venue and definitely the intensity with which they come and follow the game and passion is really encouraging,” Ashwin said.
Talking about India’s first-ever day/night Test Ashwin said it will be a historic moment and also a start of many more matches.
“It was very important for us to play a day/night Test as a Test-playing country. The office going people will come to watch the match. It will be a challenge to play with a pink ball. It will be a historic moment and will be a start of many more to come,” Ashwin said.
The second Test between India and Bangladesh will be a day/night Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 22-26.
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