A stunning counter-attacking century by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led India to a solid 339/6 at stumps on Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Despite early pressure from seamer Hasan Mahmud, who ripped through India's top order with four wickets, Ashwin’s unbeaten 102 and Ravindra Jadeja’s steady 86 anchored India to a competitive position.

Hasan Mahmud strikes early, India slumps to 34/3

Bangladesh seamer Hasan Mahmud justified skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto’s decision to field first in overcast conditions, delivering an early blow by reducing India to 34/3 within the first hour of play. Hasan rattled the Indian top-order, dismissing skipper Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0), and Virat Kohli (6) to put the hosts on the back foot. India briefly recovered with a 62-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (56) and Rishabh Pant (39), but the middle order faltered, slipping to 144/6 by the second session.

See Also: Ravichandran Ashwin reaches new height with Chennai Test century

Ashwin and Jadeja rebuild, Bangladesh lose momentum

Ravichandran Ashwin, playing in his home city, led a remarkable fightback with a fluent 102* off 108 balls, marking his sixth Test century. Partnered with Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed 86*, the duo added an unbeaten 195-run partnership, blunting the Bangladesh bowling attack and bringing the home crowd to its feet. Ashwin’s aggressive century, laced with 12 boundaries, pulled India out of trouble and into a commanding position after a difficult start.

Ravindra Jadeja's fighting knock comes to an end! 🙌

📸: Jio Cinema#INDvsBAN #RavindraJadeja #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/rJ96kaalfw

— OneCricket (@OneCricketApp) September 20, 2024

Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja in the zone,
The GOAT duo, making every ball their own! ⚡️😎

Ash Anna 🤝Jaddu. 💪#ashwin #RAVINDRAJADEJA #TestCricket pic.twitter.com/KSex4f3IgI

— 𝑅𝓊𝒸𝒽𝒾 𝒮𝒾𝓃𝑔𝒽 𝑅𝒶𝒿𝓅𝓊𝓉✨💙 (@Ruchisingh4599) September 19, 2024

Ravindra Jadeja has been in fine form in Test cricket, showcasing his consistency and resilience in recent innings. Over his last seven outings, Jadeja has produced notable contributions, including a gritty 87 off 180 balls and an impressive century, 112 off 225 balls. His ability to anchor the innings is evident, with other significant scores of 86 off 124 deliveries and a determined 15 off 50 balls. Though he had a few low scores, like 2 off 20 balls and 4 off 33, Jadeja's overall performance highlights his importance as a key all-rounder for India in the longest format of the game.