Indian pacer Akash Deep joined the morning party after Jasprit Bumrah drew first blood on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh. Against a combative Bangladesh side that entered the Test series on the back of a successful 2-0 series win in Pakistan, the Indian pacers proved they are in a class of their own with three brilliant dismissals at Chepauk on Friday. First, Bumrah sent Shadman Islam home before Akash Deep delivered two identical throws to smash the stumps of Zakir Hasan and Mominul Haque. However, the pacer could not convert the two dismissals into a hat-trick.

Akash Deep, who had earned the Indian team’s nod after a brilliant performance in the Duleep Trophy, broke through the defence of Hasan and Haque with two unplayable shots. Here is the video:

Profound impact #IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #INDvBAN #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/NafbMhr1W3

— Jio Cinema (@JioCinema) 20 September 2024

Just when the fans started singing praises of Bumrah, who had spilled the first blood for India, Deep proved that he can also let the red cherry do the talking. Even India head coach Gautam Gambhir was impressed in the dressing room.

Akash Deep removes Zakir Hasan just before lunch. What a delivery

And even Gautam Gambhir smiles. What a moment #INDvBAN #tapmad #DontStopStreaming pic.twitter.com/tWmRW5dgR3

— babar (@Muhammad5597110) 20 September 2024

The Indian team, which had scored 339 for six overnight, were bowled out for 376 in their first innings. The total was based on the superb knocks of Ravichandran Ashwin (113, 133 balls, 11×4, 2×6) and Ravindra Jadeja (86, 124 balls, 10×4, 2×6).

Their seventh-wicket alliance was worth 199 runs scored off 240 balls and withstood the Bangladesh bowlers for 189 minutes across three sessions. After that combative performance, India needed a good start to maintain the momentum and Bumrah provided that by removing Shadman Islam (2) from the match.

Islam shouldered his arms at a delivery thrown to him from the wicket side which fell back a little and the ball slammed onto the stumps. Soon after, Akash added the scalps of Zakir Hasan (3) and Mominul Haque (0) in two consecutive balls to put Bangladesh in trouble as both batters fatally played the wrong line.

With PTI inputs