Thu Sep 19 12:09:09 UTC 2024: ## Ashwin and Jadeja Rescue India After Early Setbacks in Bangladesh Test
**Chennai, India:** Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran off-spinner, reached a significant milestone on the first day of the first Test between India and Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. He smashed his sixth Test century, his second at his home ground, and in doing so, joined an elite list of batsmen with the most hundreds from number 8 or below.
Ashwin’s century was crucial for India who found themselves in a precarious position at 144/6 after losing a flurry of early wickets. However, the veteran all-rounder, along with Ravindra Jadeja, steered the Indian innings back on track with a phenomenal 195-run partnership for the 7th wicket. Jadeja, who himself scored a valuable half-century, credited Ashwin’s positive approach and his own ability to “convert twos into threes” for their success.
The pair’s resilience and determination helped India end the day at 339/6, setting a solid foundation for the hosts. Ashwin, who now sits just one century behind Daniel Vettori’s record for most Test centuries from number 8 or below, expressed his delight at the achievement, especially considering he had just come off a T20 tournament.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh bowlers had exploited the favorable pitch and bounced back from a slow start to rattle the Indian top order. India lost both their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal (56) and KL Rahul (16), along with Rishabh Pant (39) before Ashwin and Jadeja came to the rescue.
The first day of the Test witnessed a thrilling battle between bat and ball, with both teams showing their strength and determination. While Bangladesh bowlers proved their mettle early on, Ashwin and Jadeja’s impressive performance left them with a task cut out for them on the second day. The second day promises to be just as exciting as both teams look to gain an upper hand in this crucial series opener.
First Piper 