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The much-ballyhooed term is none other than ‘Gamball’, inspired by head coach Gautam Gambhir.
India’s flamboyant style of play may have been wildly at odds with the genteel surroundings of Test cricket, but its revolution is no gimmick. On Tuesday in Kanpur’s weather-hit Green Park ground, the strategy notched up a triumph that not many could foresee.
The hosts made mincemeat of Bangladesh for a meager 146 that had seemed nearly out of reach for the Bangla Tigers. Chasing a modest target of 95 post-lunch, India breezed to 98 for three in a mere 104 balls during the second session.
Scoring at such a breakneck pace undoubtedly requires some rather unconventional stroke play, and India have resorted to deploying shots typically reserved for the adrenaline-fueled circus of T20 cricket.
Prior to this whimsical ‘Gamball’ philosophy, one could have expected the second Test to meander to a dull draw, eliciting groans from critics lamenting Test cricket’s tediousness. At least now, none can deny that the thrilling escapades by Rohit Sharma`s men were a delightful breath of fresh air for red-ball.
Interestingly, Jatin Paranjape, member of BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and co-founder of KheloMore, offered another perspective.
“India`s batters are not doing anything out of their natural games. Right from Number 1 to Number 8, each and every batter is by nature attacking and freely scoring. Now under captain Rohit, they have been given a license to play the red-ball game as they approach a white-ball game. In a way, it is a war cry before the Australian series. It is as if the team is saying ‘we are coming to get you in the same way’ (sic),” he told Mid-Day.
If there is anyone who embraced ‘Gamball’ to its fullest, it would be none other than Jaiswal, besides his captain.
The ‘junior’ Mumbaikar reached his second half-century of the match in only 43 balls, peppering the field with eight fours and a six before falling victim to Taijul Islam, which mercifully ended his 58-run partnership with Virat Kohli.
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Kohli, ever the steadying influence, contributed an unbeaten 29, remaining at the crease as Rishabh Pant sealed the deal with a boundary.
Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz made his mark by dismissing Sharma for a mere eight runs and Shubman Gill for six, showing that even the best can fall in the face of mediocrity. This series victory not only solidified India’s dominance at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings but also left Australia in a distant second place.
India`s commanding performance was fueled by Jaiswal`s explosive 72-run blitz in the first innings, effectively forcing a result in a match that saw zero action on Saturday as well as Sunday due to relentless rain and a sodden outfield.
Bangladesh resumed their second innings at a dismal 26-2 on the final day, trailing by 26 runs. Unsurprisingly, their batting lineup crumbled in the first session, with opener Shadman Islam managing to top-score with a rather uninspiring 50.
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Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah were all in on the act, each snaring three wickets as Bangladesh`s batting woes reached comical proportions.
Mushfiqur Rahim, the last man standing, took his sweet time before finally succumbing to Bumrah for 37, delaying lunch and the inevitable with the kind of defiance that seemed destined for what else but drama! Ashwin kicked off the day’s proceedings by dismissing first-innings centurion Mominul Haque, who was caught at leg slip by KL Rahul for a paltry two runs.
That was, you see, only the opening act.
Left-arm spinner Jadeja, who had already celebrated reaching his 300th Test wicket just the day prior, struck gold in his very first over of the day by sending captain Najmul Hossain Shanto back to the pavilion for a lackluster 19. One can only wonder how the Bangladeshi captain felt watching his teammates fold like a house of cards.
Shadman, initially looking promising, reached his fifty off 97 balls but promptly fell to fast bowler Akash Deep, leaving the team’s hopes hanging by a thread. Jadeja then showcased his prowess by catching and bowling the veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan for a zero, possibly marking his last Test appearance. Shakib, at the ripe age of 37, had announced his international retirement ahead of the match, which might just become his swansong if he can`t make it back for a scheduled series in South Africa.
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The first innings saw Bangladesh bowled out for 233, and India, clearly in a hurry to reach the finish line, declared at a staggering 285-9 off just 34.4 overs.
With the T20 series on the horizon, the teams now shift focus, ready to face off in a three-match extravaganza starting this Sunday in Gwalior. As the dust settles on this match, one can`t help but reflect on the disparity between the two teams.
India has once again proven their mettle, dispatching Bangladesh in what feels like a mere six sessions after losing two entire days to rain. Bravo! What a display of dominance! The gulf between the two sides has never been clearer, and one can only wonder what the future holds for a Bangladeshi side that appears to be stuck in a perpetual rebuilding phase.
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