Rishabh Pant’s century propels India to 287-4, Bangladesh reduced to 158-4
CHENNAI, India (AP) — Rishabh Pant struck a century on his return to test cricket as India reduced Bangladesh to 158-4 (37.2 overs) at stumps on day three of the first test Saturday.
Pant scored 109 runs off 128 balls for his sixth test hundred as India finished its second innings at 287-4 declared in 64 overs.
Shubman Gill also earned his fifth test hundred, scoring 119 not out, as India set a 515-run target.
In reply, Bangladesh lost four wickets after the tea break with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto holding ground with 51 not out off 60 balls. Shakib al Hasan (5 not out) gave him company as play was stopped owing to bad light with Bangladesh needing 357 runs.
Earlier, Pant and Gill had put on 167 runs for the fourth wicket. They put on 124 runs in the wicket-less morning session.
Pant reached 50 off 88 balls, while Gill got there off 79 deliveries, as India went to lunch at 205-3.
After lunch, Pant equaled MS Dhoni’s record for most test hundreds by an Indian keeper-batter in tests. Dhoni also scored six hundreds in 90 tests, with Pant reaching the landmark in only his 34th test.
Pant suffered career-threatening injuries in a car crash in December 2022, last playing test cricket against Bangladesh earlier that month. He was away from the game for 17 months recuperating from knee and back injuries before returning for the 2024 Indian Premier League, and then he was part of India’s T20 World Cup campaign.
Pant reached 100 off 124 balls, and hit 13 fours as well as four sixes. Gill scored 100 off 161 balls and stayed unbeaten until the end.
Pant was dismissed after his century, out caught off Mehidy Hasan Miraz (2-103), while Lokesh Rahul made 22 not out until the declaration.
Bangladesh went to tea at 56-0 in 13 overs with openers Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35) putting on the highest opening partnership for the visitors on Indian soil.
Until then, only one wicket fell in two sessions as opposed to 23 wickets across the first two days.
Post tea, Jasprit Bumrah got the much-needed breakthrough, as Hasan was caught at gully. Yashasvi Jaiswal took a low one-handed catch to his left.
Ravichandran Ashwin then picked 3-63 as he ran through the Bangladesh top order. He troubled the batters with bounce off the surface and induced the batters into false shots.
Shadman was out caught at midwicket with Gill taking a diving catch. Then, Mushfiqur Rahim was out for 13, again to a brilliant forward diving catch by Rahul at mid-on.
In between, Ashwin bowled Mominul Haque for 13 as Bangladesh was down to 146-4.
Skipper Shanto was the only batter who provided resistance, reaching his fourth half-century off 55 balls. He hit four fours and three sixes.
Play was then called off later in the session owing to bad light.
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