Hasan Mahmud rocked India with a triple strike in the first hour of the first Test of the two-match India-Bangladesh series, at Chepauk.
Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto took the unusual call of winning the toss and opting to field at Chepauk, a venue that has – over the years – earned a reputation for producing turners, at times even slow ones.
Bangladesh also went in with three seamers (Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, and Nahid Rana), a formation that had helped them sweep Pakistan 2-0 in Pakistan, as did India (Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep).
India have picked Akash Deep over Kuldeep Yadav for the first Test against Bangladesh.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) September 19, 2024
Why did they opt for three quicks at home for the first time in five years? 🤔
Read here ➡️ https://t.co/zHIigdX0nZ pic.twitter.com/JrVzPeOCPF
Bangladesh opened bowling with Taskin and Hasan. After an innocuous first over, Hasan struck Rohit Sharma on the pad with the second ball of his second over. Not out, ruled the umpire, and Shanto reviewed. Bangladesh retained the review, for the ball would have clipped the top of the bails.
Two balls later, Hasan curled one away from Rohit to beat the edge.
Strike one: Rohit
Hasan began his second over with a ball that pitched on the stumps on a good length and moved away just a little bit. Rohit had to play – it was too close to leave – but the ball took his edge and went to Shanto at slip.
Strike two: Gill
Hasan almost got Shubman Gill first ball. Gill tried to lunge at one that he could have left, but thankfully the ball beat his outside edge.
In his next over, Hasan moved one into Gill that beat even wicketkeeper Litton Das and ran away for four byes. Hasan hit Gill on the pad with the next ball, but it was too high – a testimony to the bounce of the pitch, a reminiscent of the fiery Chepauk of the 1970s.
The next ball was a loose delivery, on the leg-stump. Gill tried to leg-glance, but could only manage to edge it to Das.
Strike three: Kohli
Virat Kohli got off the mark off the second ball he faced, and looked comfortable against Taskin at the other end. Then, Hasan – his length was impeccable since the loose first over – held the length back ever so slightly while pitching on the off-stump. Kohli went for the drive, but the ball held its line, took the edge, and went to Das.
India were left reeling at 34-3 at this point after 9.2 overs of cricket.
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