Ashwin and Jadeja retire after saving India from embarrassment against Bangladesh on opening day

Thursday witnessed a magnificent display of batting prowess as Ravichandran Ashwin (102*) and Ravindra Jadeja (86*) staged a remarkable rescue mission for India in the first Test against Bangladesh. Following a shaky start for the hosts in Chennai, with key batters Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli dismissed early, India found themselves in trouble at 144/6. However, Ashwin and Jadeja's resilient partnership not only stabilized the innings but also propelled India to a respectable total. Their masterclass performance showcased their skill and determination, marking a memorable comeback for India after over six months of Test inactivity.

However, it was a unique approach – particularly from Ashwin – as he made ample use of his knowledge of his home ground and the conditions on offer, counter-attacking the on-song Bangladesh bowling attack. Ashwin began his innings with a solid backfoot punch for a boundary and never looked back. By stumps, Ashwin had 10 fours and two sixes to his name; the exact number of boundaries also belonged to Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 86 off 117 deliveries.

IND vs BAN Live Score 1st Test Day 2

The partnership, which is currently 195-run strong, was an exhibition in relieving pressure and taking the game to the opposition. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik was mightily impressed by the duo, stressing that the experience both players shared helped them navigate through the tough period when they arrived at the crease.

“The way they played was outstanding. The experience they have, the way they started, the kind of shots Ashwin played, the backfoot punch first up... Jadeja going over mid-on and getting boundaries. (These are) small things, (they) understand how Test cricket works,” Karthik told Cricbuzz.

“Yes, the opponent is throwing punches, but it's your time to throw a couple of them yourself and then wait because they will disintegrate at some point and allow things to happen. When that happened, they came in with singles and odd boundaries, got to their milestones and got a lot more comfortable. Then they went on to play superb shots.”

Karthik pointed out that many Indian players have seldom received their due worth when they were active cricketers, and that it was the same with Ashwin and Jadeja, too.

“What a set of all-rounders we have. We have Axar Patel not playing, and understandably so. Sometimes I feel people value only when they're not around anymore, and these two people will be valued a lot more when they're done. Hopefully that's not anytime soon. We all speak about all-rounders, and these two have been phenomenal for India,” said Karthik.