India’s Ravichandran Ashwin, celebrated alongside his teammate Ravindra Jadeja after achieving a century. — AFP

In a thrilling display of skill and resilience, India’s Ravichandran Ashwin hammered a swift century and, together with Ravindra Jadeja, staged a remarkable comeback to counter an early collapse by the top order. This effort propelled India to a formidable 339 for six against Bangladesh on the first day of the opening Test on Thursday.

Bangladesh’s seamer Hasan Mahmud ignited early turmoil in the morning session with a fierce three-wicket burst, reducing India to a precarious 34-3 within the first hour at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Hasan’s precise bowling left India struggling to find stability.

Despite the early setbacks, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed a crucial 56 runs, setting the stage for Ashwin and Jadeja’s extraordinary partnership. Their unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 195 runs was pivotal in turning the tide for India.

Ashwin’s unbeaten 102 came off just 112 balls, featuring an array of aggressive strokes including 10 fours and two sixes. This marked his sixth Test century, a testament to his tenacity and skill. Jadeja, meanwhile, remained solid at the crease with 86 runs, inching closer to what could be his fifth Test century.

“Playing in front of the home crowd is always special; this ground holds a special place in my heart. On this kind of surface, it’s beneficial to play aggressively, much like Rishabh Pant does. The old-school Chennai pitch offers bounce and carry,” Ashwin reflected after his innings. “When there’s width, you can go for powerful shots. I thoroughly enjoyed myself today.”

He also acknowledged Jadeja’s crucial support during a challenging phase. “Jadeja was immensely helpful. There was a moment when I was exhausted and sweating, but Jaddu guided me through it. He’s been incredibly solid and one of our best batters. He advised me not to push for threes when we could comfortably settle for twos, which was quite helpful,” Ashwin added with a smile.

Coming off a high from their 2-0 series sweep against Pakistan earlier this month, Bangladesh displayed dominance in the first two sessions after captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to field.

India’s captain Rohit Sharma had a cautious start, taking 11 balls to get off the mark and surviving a strong lbw appeal before being caught by Shanto at second slip off Hasan’s bowling. In Hasan’s subsequent over, he dismissed Shubman Gill for a duck, who edged the ball down the leg side to the wicketkeeper.

The resolute partnership between Ashwin and Jadeja not only salvaged India’s innings but also set up an intriguing contest as the match progresses.