Ravichandran Ashwin slams century, Jadeja scores fifty to give India a revival

An excellent century from Ravichandran Ashwin led India's fine comeback on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh. Ashwin (102*) and Ravindra Jadeja (86*) were involved in a record partnership for the seventh wicket, helping India move into a position of strength after being forced on the backfoot in the first two sessions.

Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's fifty, India was reduced to 144 for 6 at one stage, which was largely due to Hasan Mahmud's incisive bowling. But Ashwin and Jadeja led a fine counterattack as they put on 195 in only 227 balls to take India to 339/6 at Stumps on the opening day.

India managed only 88 runs and lost three wickets in each of the first two sessions but the urgency displayed by Ashwin and Jadeja, who scored 20 fours and 4 sixes between them, helped the hosts come out on top, as they got 163 runs in the final session at a rate of over five an over. Bangladesh were poor with their over-rate, managing only 23 and 25 overs in the first two sessions, and could only bowl 32 overs in the final session on Day 1, that too after the extra 30 minutes were used.

Bangladesh made early inroads after electing to bowl, making the most of the helpful conditions for the pacemen. Taskin Ahmed tested Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma in the opening session and the latter narrowly survived a lbw review off Mahmud's bowling, with the umpire's call saving him.

But Rohit couldn't last much longer, edging one to second slip as Mahmud struck the first blow. Shubman Gill followed soon after for an eight-ball duck, caught down the leg side, and Virat Kohli got an outside edge to the 'keeper, with Mahmud inflicting all the damage and reducing India to 34 for 3.