Ashwin, Jadeja, Bumrah shine as India secures series win over Bangladesh

India sealed a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the second Test in Kanpur, completing a 2-0 series sweep on Tuesday (October 1, 2024). The match, plagued by rain and weather interruptions, saw India’s bowlers shine, delivering an exhilarating performance to maintain their unbeaten record at home. Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah shared the spotlight, dismantling Bangladesh's batting order and reinforcing India's top position in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) table.

India’s bowlers rule the day

Bangladesh began the final day at 26/2, needing a resilient batting effort to avoid defeat. However, India's bowlers made quick work of the opposition, bowling Bangladesh out for just 146. Jasprit Bumrah (3/17), Ravichandran Ashwin (3/50), and Ravindra Jadeja (3/34) claimed three wickets each to wrap up Bangladesh’s innings.

Ashwin drew first blood early on, dismissing first-innings centurion Mominul Haque. Jadeja then decimated the middle-order, while Bumrah cleaned up the tail, leaving Bangladesh reeling. The victory marked India's record-extending 18th consecutive series win at home.

Jaiswal leads India’s chase

India, needing 95 runs for victory, reached the target comfortably in 17.2 overs, losing three wickets along the way. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was named Player of the Match, played a crucial knock of 51, his second fifty of the game. Despite losing Rohit Sharma (8) and Shubman Gill (6) early to off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, India’s chase never seemed in doubt.

Jaiswal and Virat Kohli (29*) shared a 58-run partnership that steadied the innings. Although Jaiswal was dismissed with only three runs left to win, Rishabh Pant hit the winning boundary to seal the match.

Bangladesh’s batting struggles

For Bangladesh, opener Shadman Islam was the lone bright spot, scoring a fighting 50 off 101 deliveries. Former skipper Mushfiqur Rahim also contributed 37 but lacked support from the rest of the team. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto’s reckless reverse sweep against Jadeja, which led to his dismissal, opened the floodgates for India.

Jadeja's spell was particularly devastating, as he picked up three crucial middle-order wickets, including Shakib Al Hasan, who failed to score in what might be his final Test innings.

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India’s dominant performance in Kanpur, despite losing over 200 overs due to rain, showcased the depth of their bowling attack. The win further cemented India’s position atop the ICC WTC standings with 74.24 percentage points. As for Bangladesh, the visitors will need to regroup and address their batting fragilities after being completely outclassed by India in both Tests.