New Delhi: India’s bold move of ultra-aggressive first innings batting in an attempt to force a win turned out to rewarding, which gladdened skipper Rohit Sharma.
Over two and a half days of action had to be abandoned in Kanpur due to wet outfield at the Green Park stadium. Yet India pulled off a seven-wicket win in the post lunch session, chasing down a target of 95 runs in the second innings.
India had bowled out Bangladesh for 233 in the first innings and then declared for 285/9 in 34.4 overs for a 52-run lead and then reduced the away team to 26/2 all in the fourth day’s action.
The hosts then shot out Bangladesh for 146 and chased down their target in 17.2 overs for the loss of three wickets inside the post-lunch session.
“Once we lost two and a half days, when we came on day 4 we wanted to get them out as quickly as possible and see what we can do with the bat. When they got bowled out for 230, it wasn’t about the runs we get but the overs we got at them,” Rohit said after their victory.
“To make a game out of it on that pitch was a superb effort. It was a risk we were willing to take because when you’re trying to bat like that, you can be bundled out for a low score. But we were ready for it even if we got bowled out for 100-120.
‘Massive win’
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was named the player of the series after shining with the bat and ball. The veteran said their improbable victory in Kanpur could be “massive” in the race to qualify for the final of World Test Championship.
“When we bowled them out yesterday, it was little after lunch. Rohit was keen that we needed 80 overs to bowl at them.
“And the moment he came inside out and gave that talk where we’re going to go after it even if we get out under 230. It’s not only him saying it, he went out there and hit his first ball for six. He set the tone that way,” Ashwin said.
India beat Bangladesh by seven wickets in the weather-hit second Test in Kanour to make a clean sweep of the two-Test series. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
