Bangladesh’s dream run in Test cricket came to an abrupt end as they suffered a crushing 280-run defeat against India in the first Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side, which had recently swept Pakistan 2-0, was outplayed in all departments by a dominant Indian team.
India’s bowlers wreaked havoc on the Bangladesh batting lineup, with Jasprit Bumrah claiming five wickets, Ravichandran Ashwin taking six, Ravindra Jadeja picking up five, Mohammed Siraj grabbing two, and Akash Deep chipping in with two. The hosts’ spinners, Ashwin and Jadeja, exploited the turning pitch to their advantage, while the pacers provided excellent support.
Former Pakistan player Basit Ali praised the pitch curators for preparing a surface that offered a fair contest between bat and ball. He criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its poor track record in preparing Test match pitches.
“The bowlers ticked all the boxes. India played two spinners, keeping in mind that the ball will spin and it happened. So the credit goes to the pitch curators, who know how to make a Test match surface,” Ali said on his YouTube channel.
“In our nation, they say there is no value of pitch. They are illiterate people. The one who have played cricket with pride are there on the Board (PCB). This is what I get angry. What are you teaching to kids?” he added.
Ali emphasized the importance of understanding the pitch conditions, highlighting the examples of legendary batsmen Sunil Gavaskar and Javed Miandad.
“50 per cent of the issue is solved if you read the pitch well, ask Sunil Gavaskar and Javed Miandad. But they don’t understand,” he said.
The second and final Test between India and Bangladesh will commence on September 27.
