After rain and wet outfield played spoilsport on Day 2 and 3 of the Kanpur Test between India and Bangladesh, majority fans, experts and former cricketers thought that the match would end in a draw.
However, the Rohit Sharma-led side played an aggressive brand of cricket to pull off a remarkable seven-wicket victory with a session to spare on the final day at the Green Park Stadium.
With this win, Team India also strengthened their position at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) points table. They are currently firm-favorites to make it to the WTC final for the third consecutive time.
In an interaction with JioCinema, star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin spilled beans on India’s plan of action after two days of play were washed out.
“We wanted to maximize whatever we could from this game. We knew the importance of every win for the points table, as it could haunt us later in the series. On day four, the instructions were clear: go hard while still maintaining control, which we did,” Ashwin said.
Resuming their innings at 107/3 on Day 4, Bangladesh were bowled out for 233 in the post-lunch session, with Jasprit Bumrah (3-50), Mohammed Siraj (2-57), Akash Deep (2-43), R Ashwin (2-45) and Ravindra Jadeja (1-28) sharing the wickets among them.
In reply, Indian batters took the visiting bowling attack to the cleaners, racking up 285/9 (declared) in just 34.4 overs.
While skipper Rohit Sharma (23 off 11) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (72 off 51) set the tone with a 55-run stand in just 3.5 overs, the likes of Shubman Gill (39 off 36), Virat Kohli (47 off 35) and KL Rahul (68 off 43) carried on the demolition job to help the hosts gain a crucial 52-run lead.
“Once we bowled them out, Rohit was clear that we had to attack, even if it meant risking getting all out. He led by example, hitting the first ball for six. From there, it wasn’t about holding back. Our bowlers followed suit, and with our attack, one comes after another. It was a great day, and we finished with a win,” Ashwin commented.
The hosts took the remaining eight Bangladesh wickets in the first session on Day 5 and chased down the paltry target of 95 in the fourth innings to complete a 2-0 whitewash.
Interestingly, Ashwin revealed that the Indian team was ready to forfeit an innings to push for a result in the rain-marred Kanpur Test.
“Yes, we discussed it. We were considering whether we should forfeit an innings, but the heat was so intense. These are harsh conditions—sweating profusely, I had to change shirts four times a day, and it still wasn’t enough. It was especially tough on the fast bowlers, and even the spinners found it exhausting,” Ashwin said.
“If we got them out for another 200 runs, it would still mean spending five sessions on the field, which would be hard on the batters as well. So, we decided to bat and go after the bowling,” he concluded.
