Rishabh Pant made a sensational return to Test cricket after a devastating car accident nearly 21 months ago. In his comeback match, Pant smashed a brilliant century, scoring 109 off 124 balls, including 13 fours and 4 sixes. However, his innings was cut short when he was caught off Mehidy Hasan Miraz while attempting an aggressive shot.
Following Pant’s departure, Shubman Gill reached his century as well. He hit consecutive boundaries off Shakib Al Hasan to move to 96 and completed his fifth Test century with a single off Miraz. India’s score stood at 256/4 after 60 overs, with Gill unbeaten on 100 and KL Rahul on 10. The lead had surged to 483 runs, putting India in a commanding position.
Earlier in the day, Pant was given a lifeline when Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped an easy catch at 72. Commentator Tamim Iqbal quipped, “The only way to get a wicket is if the ball is skied.” The missed chance allowed India to build an even bigger lead, frustrating Bangladesh as India’s score climbed.
India declared their first innings at 376, while Bangladesh crumbled for just 149, failing to avoid the follow-on. Despite the opportunity, India opted to bat again, amassing a huge lead.
Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli fell cheaply in India’s second innings, but centuries from Pant and Gill have all but sealed the match for the visitors. Taskin Ahmed, Nahid Rana, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz picked up a wicket each for Bangladesh.