An unbeaten record 195 runs  partnership off 225 balls for the seventh wicket between veteran all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ensured India resurgence from a precarious position on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh being played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. 

The host who were reduced to 34 for 3 inside to 10 overs in the opening session after being put in to bat under overcast conditions and lost three more wickets before tea with further addition of 110 runs despite opener Yashasvi Jaiswal gritty half century, in the face of incisive bowling by medium pacers Hasan Mahmud (4/58) and Nahid Rana (1/80) ended the day at 339 for 6 in 80.0 overs,  Ashwin (102*) who registered his sixth Test century and Ravindra Jadeja (86*) his 21^st half century took the attack to their Asian rivals who had earlier defeated Pakistan 2-0. The duo lower order batters scored freely in the remaining 174 minutes including 30 minutes of added time (163 runs in the final session at a over five an over) to ensure India’s position of strength in their quest to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings as they begin a fresh Test season of 10 matches.

Earlier Indian topper including skipper Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0) and Virat Kohli (6) who were snapped up by Mahmud in his first spell of 5-2-6-3, also accounted for Indian wicket keeper Rishabh Pant (39) playing his first Test in two years after being injured in a serious car crash way back in 2022. South paw Jaiswal  (56) who scored his fifth Test fifty  also in the process became the first batter in the 147-year history of Test cricket to score more than 750 runs in his first 10 innings at home, eclipsing George Headley (West Indies) record of 747 way back in 1935. Ashwin who reached the triple mark with a single off left arm spinner Shakib Al-Hasan in 108 balls inclusive of ten boundaries and two sixes second in the meantime registered his consecutive hundred at his home ground after scoring one against England in 2021.

Brief scores (Ist Test Day 1): India – 339 for 6 in 80 Overs(Ravichandran Ashwin 102*, Ravindra Jadeja 86*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 56, Rishabh Pant 39; Hasan Mahmud 4/58, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 1/77, Nahid Rana 1/80) Vs Bangladesh

Photo Cover: Low order all-rounders  Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin led India's fine comeback on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh (Photos courtesy BCCI)

Photo Above: Ravichandran Ashwin scored his sixth Test hundred off mere 108 balls inclusive of ten boundaries and two sixes at his home ground against Bangladesh