India vs Bangladesh Highlights 1st Test, Day 1: Ashwin-Jadeja's sparkling stand leaves India at 339/6 at Stumps

Hasan Mahmud castled down the Indian top-order within the opening hour, before Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched a 50-run stand. But the fast bowler returned to nip out the wicketkeeper-batter right after lunch, while Nahid Rana got rid of Jaiswal after the opener got to his half-century. KL Rahul fell shortly after, leaving India at 144 for six. There wasn't a single happy face in the Indian dug-out, but all were smiles a little over a session later after Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined sensationally to frustrate the Bangladesh attack.

The visitors were staring at a 200-run total in the first innings for India, but Jadeja and Ashwin, who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, crushed their hopes with an unbeaten 195-run stand, the highest-ever seventh wicket or below partnership for the hosts against Bangladesh. En route, Ashwin notched up his sixth century in the format, second at home and fastest in his career, while Jadeja too inched closer to his century mark as India ended Day 1 on 339 for six.

India returned to competitive cricket after more than a month by hosting Bangladesh for two Test matches and three T20Is. The Test series began with a match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and it marks the beginning of the home run for India as far as qualification to the World Test Championship final is concerned. Over the course of the next six months, India are scheduled to host New Zealand in a three-match series after the Bangladesh rubber and that will be followed by an epic five-Test tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh are buoyed by their recent historic 2-0 win over Pakistan. However, India in home conditions are always a different customer. No other team has dominated at home quite like they have. India have won 17 successive Test series at home since 2013 and have lost just four Tests they have hosted in this period. Moreover, Bangladesh have never won a Test match against India. Out of 13 Tests played between the two neighbours, India have won 11 and two matches ending in draws.

The Indian cricket team arrived a week before in Chennai to get used to the conditions and on Monday all the 16 players of the squad took part in the training session. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan - who joined the squad late after playing the second round of Duleep Trophy – had a hit in the nets with the India captain putting more focus on playing the spinners knowing that the Bangladesh have too many spin bowling options.

On the other hand, Bangladesh who landed in Chennai on Sunday had their intense training session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. Litton Das, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim timed the ball really well in the nets. Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hasan, the spinners who would play a key role in the two-match Test series were also seen in action. Shakib Al Hasan was expected to link up with the squad on Tuesday after his County stint at Surrey. The main attraction of Bangladesh’s training session was young pacer Nahid Rana, who claimed six wickets in two Tests against Pakistan.

Red-soil pitch and selection

The Chepauk track has been laid out with the red soil that is usually used to prepare the Wankhede pitch. Traditionally the red-soil pitch has bounce and carry, keeping the seamers in the picture. However, the hot and humid conditions in Chennai would possibly offer grip for the spinners as the Test progresses. But it would be the quicks who are expected to make an impact in the match because of the nature of the track and conditions. There would be a few sessions in the Test that would be dominated by reverse swing too.

The last time India played three seamers in a home Test was against Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2019. There is a possibility of India using the Bangladesh and New Zealand series that would follow as the preparation ground for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November to January. But they won’t risk laying out seamer-friendly tracks to prepare for Australia, while dropping crucial WTC points by losing Tests to Bangladesh and New Zealand. Mohammed Shami is expected to get fit for the Australia tour, but India would have these two Test series to identify other seamers apart from the regular quicks.

However, the India captain is not too concerned and said India have a lot of bowlers to pick from. Besides seniors, some talents also made heads turn in the recently concluded two round Duleep Trophy matches. Another selection dilemma would be between Sarfaraz and KL Rahul, who is returning to the Test fold after a while. Dhruv Jurel who was impressive in his debut series against England, has to make way for Rishabh Pant who is returning to Test cricket after a gap of two years.

When asked at the press conference about the work-load management for the bowlers ahead of the Australia tour, Rohit was clear that he and the team management have plans to rotate bowlers, depending on the workload that has been carried by them. In the England Tests, both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were rested, paving the way for Akash Deep's Test debut. But with this being a two-Test series, the room to experiment isn't much. So if players are rested, it will be done over the next five Tests – two against Bangladesh and three versus New Zealand.

Some Highlights from India vs Bangladesh 1st Test Day 1:

- India were 339/6 at Stumps (Ashwin 102 off 112; Jadeja 86 off 117)

- Ashwin gets to his sixth career century in 108 balls

- India were 176/6 at Tea (Ashwin 21 off 19, Jadeja 7 off 17)

- Jaiswal fell after scoring 56 in 118 balls

- Jaiswal ground out his half-century in 95 balls

- Pant fell in the third over, becoming Mahmud's fourth wicket

- India were 88/3 at Lunch (Jaiswal 37 off 62, Pant 33 off 44)

- Pant and Jaiswal's stand went past 50 towards the end of the first session

- Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant steadied the Indian innings

- Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl against India

- ⁠India went ahead with 3 pacers and 2 spinners

- ⁠Rohit Sharma was the first India wicket to fall, getting dismissed for 6

- ⁠Shubman Gill for an 8-ball duck

- ⁠Virat Kohli endured a failure on his return to Test cricket, getting out for a run-a-ball 6

- Hasan Mahmud has taken all three Indian wickets with Bangladesh pacers making the most of the conditions