Pant's Century Powers India to Victory in Chennai Test

In the first Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai, India's swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made a triumphant return to the longest format with a dazzling century in the second innings. Pant's aggressive 128-ball 109, coupled with Shubman Gill's unbeaten 119, propelled India to set a formidable target of 515 for Bangladesh in the fourth innings.

Pant's innings was a testament to his attacking prowess. After a cautious start, he gradually settled in and unleashed a barrage of boundaries and sixes. His audacious strokeplay left the Bangladesh bowlers reeling, as he dominated the Chepauk pitch.

In a post-match interview, Pant revealed that India's skipper Rohit Sharma had given the batters an hour to bat at the lunch break on Day 3. This directive inspired Pant to aim for a score of 150 or more.

Following Pant and Gill's batting masterclass, India's spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja wreaked havoc in the fourth innings. Ashwin claimed a six-wicket haul, while Jadeja bagged three wickets, as Bangladesh succumbed to 234 all out.

Ashwin's all-round performance, including a century in the first innings, earned him the Player of the Match award. India's comprehensive victory by 280 runs gave them a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

Tags: #RishabhPant, #ShubmanGill, #RohitSharma, #RAshwin, #RavindraJadeja