"On surface like this, better to go hard like Rishabh does": Ashwin on his century against Bangladesh in Chennai
Sep 19, 2024
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 19 : After smashing his sixth long-format hundred during the first Test against Bangladesh on Thursday, star India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin said that sometimes it is better to go hard like what Rishabh Pant does.
At stumps on day one, Ashwin was unbeaten on the crease after scoring 102 runs off 112 balls at a strike rate of 91.07. He slammed 10 fours and 2 sixes during his time on the crease.
Speaking after the end of the first day, Ashwin said the pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium is like an old-school surface. He added that Ravindra Jadeja helped him a lot when they were batting together.
"On a surface like this, it's better to go hard like Rishabh does. It's an old-school Chennai surface with bounce and carry... 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. He's been solid and one of our best batters. He told me we don't have to convert twos into threes, which was useful for me," Ashwin was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl in the Chennai Test, the first of the two-match series with India. India's top-order collapsed, and the team was struggling at 34/3. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (56 in 118 balls, with nine fours) and Rishabh Pant (39 in 52 balls, with six fours) stitched a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket, bringing India into the game. But India were reduced to 144/6 and Ashwin and Jadeja (86* in 117 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes) stitched an unbeaten 195-run partnership, ending the day at 339/6.
Hasan Mahmud (4/58) was the top bowler for Bangladesh, destroying the Indian top order, removing skipper Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0) and Virat Kohli (6).
Bangladesh Playing XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (Wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (Wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.
