1st Test, Bangladesh chase history versus India: Day 3 report
Bangladesh are chasing a daunting target in the ongoing opening Test against India in Chennai. The Tigers were 158/4 at stumps of Day 3 in a chase of 515 runs. Earlier in the day, India declared their second innings at 287/4 thanks to centurions Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's fifty has led Bangladesh's chase. Here's the Day 3 report.
Gill, Pant power India with tons
India resumed at their overnight score of 81/3. Gill and Pant continued the good work as India's lead went past 500. The duo added 167 runs for the fourth wicket. While Gill scored an unbeaten 119 off 176 balls, Pant departed for a quick-fire 128-ball 109. KL Rahul's 19-ball 22* also contributed to India's total of 287/4d. Bangladesh were hence set a 515-run target.
India set the highest-ever target at Chepauk
The 515-run target set is the highest in the fourth innings at Chepauk, surpassing the previous record of 482 runs set by England against India in 2021, which England went on to win.
Bangladesh bowlers struggled to strike
Though pacers Nahid Rana (1/21) and Taskin Ahmed (1/22) struck early, they couldn't do much later on. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the only Bangladesh bowler who struck on Day 3, finished with 2/103 from 25 overs. Hasan Mahmud, who claimed a fifer in the first innings, delivered 11 wicket-less overs. Shakib Al Hasan also failed to strike in his 13-over spell.
Sixth Test ton for Pant
Pant was dismissed for 109 off 128 balls (13 fours, 4 sixes). As per ESPNcricinfo, he has now raced to 2,419 Test runs at 44.79. While this was his sixth Test ton, he has also smoked 11 fifties so far in his career. This was his second 50-plus score against Bangladesh as he has completed 296 runs against them at 59.20.
Pant equals Dhoni's record
Pant has now gone par with the legendary MS Dhoni in terms of Indians with the most Test tons as a designated wicketkeeper-batter. Notably, no other Indian keeper has even four Test centuries as Wriddhiman Saha follows the suit with four centuries. Pant has also been dismissed on 90s six times, most for any keeper in Tests.
1,500 Test runs for Gill
Gill returned unbeaten on 119 off 176 balls, having smoked 10 boundaries and four maximums. With his eighth run, the youngster completed 1,500 (now 1,611) Test runs. While the Indian batter averages 37.46 in the format, his tally now includes five tons and six half-centuries. Meanwhile, this was Gill's second Test hundred against Bangladesh as he now has 276 runs against them at 55.20.
Bangladesh showcase character in run chase
Openers Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35) added 62 runs for the opening wicket before Jasprit Bumrah removed the former. Islam also fell to Ravichandran Ashwin thereafter. The ace off-spinner also went on to trap Mominul Haque and Mushfiqur Rahim. Both scored 13 apiece. Shanto, meanwhile, scored a solid half-century and returned unbeaten on 51, keeping Bangladesh's outside chances alive.
