Team India registered a resounding 188 runs win in the first Test match against Bangladesh played at Zahur Chaudhary Stadium, Chattogram on 18 December 2022.
Indian stand-in captain KL Rahul won the toss and decided to bat first. Despite initially struggling, it was a great performance by the Indian team scoring 404 runs. Indian bowlers produced a brilliant job to bowl out Bangladesh for 150 runs in their first innings.
The Indian batters then regained form and declared their second innings to set Bangladesh a massive target. Despite some resistance by Bangladesh batters, Indian bowlers finished the job on the fifth morning to register 12 important points and move to the second position, as Australia defeated South Africa by six wickets in the first Test at Gabba.
On that note, we look at the 3 positives for Team India in the first Test match against Bangladesh.
#1 Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel bowling
The left-arm chinamen Kuldeep Yadav was making a comeback into the playing XI after February 2021. He produced a magical spell in the first innings dismissing Shakib AL Hasan, Nurul Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Taijul Islam on Day 2. He then took the wicket of Ebadot Hossain to pick his career-best figures of 5 for 40 in 16 overs. Kuldeep Yadav scored his highest test of 40 and added 92 runs for the eighth wicket to help Team India post 404.
He looked threatening again picking up the wicket of Litton Das on the fourth day. Kuldeep Yadav kept on troubling the Bangladeshi batters with his variations. His bowling impressed grabbing the wicket of well-set Shakib A; Hasan and grabbing Ebadot Hossain to end with figures of 3 for 73 in 20 overs. For his all-around efforts, Kuldeep Yadav was named the player of the match award.
Axar Patel had a decent outing with the ball in the second innings. He finished off the first innings by dismissing Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Axar was bought right before the lunch break on 4th day and troubled the Bangladeshi openers.
Axar produced a peach of a delivery to dismiss Yasir Ali. He then got rid of Mushfiqur Rahim and Nurul Hasan the same over putting the Bangladesh team under pressure. It was a brilliant spell keeping tight lines and lengths going past the bat a number of times.
He completed the job for India dismissing Taijul Islam to finish with figures of 4 for 77 in 32.2 overs. Axar and Kuldeep Yadav created a big impact especially in the second innings as the pitch got flat to bat on.
#2 Cheteshwar Pujara returning to form
After opting to bat first, India lost 3 quick wickets after a decent opening partnership of 41 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara looked solid with his defensive technique and hit the bad deliveries away for boundaries.
Pujara kept looking for runs in the first innings keeping the scoreboard ticking first with Rishabh Pant and then Shreyas Iyer. Pujara completed his fifty off 125 balls playing according to the merit and missed a well-deserved century by 10 runs.
Pujara showed his class in the second innings with attacking shots. He completed his fifty off 87 balls and then increased the scoring rate. It was his fastest Test century off 130 balls as India declared their innings on 258 for 2 setting Bangladesh 513 runs target.
#3 Rishabh Pant’s wicket-keeping
Rishabh Pant had a decent outing while wicketkeeping in the first Test match. He was impressive in the first innings with 2 impressive catches of Najimul Hossain Shanto and then Zakir Hossain. Pant took an impressive down-the-leg side catch to dismiss Ebadot Hossain. He then had an easy stumping to get rid of Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Pant had the presence of mind to take a rebound catch from Kohli to end 124 runs opening partnership between Shanto and Zakir. After dropping a simple catch, he produced lightning-fast stumping to dismiss Nurul Hasan on the fourth day. It was an impressive effort by Pant on a pitch that had some turn and bounce.
He kept well for Team India against Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, and three spinners. While batting in the first innings, Pant produced a quickfire 46 off 45 to put Bangladesh bowlers under pressure.
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