Rohit Sharma appeals for a wicket during the 2nd India-Bangladesh Test in Kanpur, Ravichandran Ashwin receives the player of the match award. (PTI/AP)
India maintained their incredible run in Test cricket at home, as they clinched the two-match Test series 2-0 with a seven-wicket win in the Kanpur Test. Despite no cricket on two-and-a-half days of the Test owing to rain and wet outfield, the hosts managed to claim a win in less than two days of play.
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a second consecutive fifty – his third from four innings of the series – and was named the player of the match. Ravichandran Ashwin, who finished with 11 wickets – other than his century in the Chennai Test – was named the player of the series. The Test marked first series win under new head coach Gautam Gambhir since he took over the job in July.
Rohit on coach Gambhir
The Indian skipper was enquired about the transition from former India head coach Rahul Dravid, who left the gig following India’s T20 World Cup win in June, to Gautam Gambhir.
“In life, we all keep moving on and at some stage, you work with different personnel [on working with Gambhir]. When Rahul (Dravid) bhai said he was done, it was a fantastic time we had together. Then life moves on and as a team we had to move on,” Rohit said.
The Indian captain added, “With Gautam Gambhir…I’ve played with him and I know what sort of mindset he has. Early days still but very fruitful.”
Ashwin takes a backseat
The Indian all-rounder took the centre stage once again as he opened up the floodgates for India on Day 4, as he snapped two wickets and finished with three in the second innings.
On finishing with 11 wickets, and his 11th player of the series award in Tests – on level with Muttiah Muralitharan – Ashwin praised his fellow bowling cast.
“The kind of bowling attack I’m part of, incredibly proud of it. How Jassi bowls, how Siraj turns in, how Akash turned up, ad don’t have to mention much about Jaddu,” he said.
Shanto blasts BAN batting, Ashwin-Jadeja the example
Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto pinpointed towards the visiting side’s batting lineup as the prime reason behind their dismal show across the two Tests.
“Both the Tests we didn’t bat well. In these conditions we need to bat well. If you look at our batters – we played 30-40 balls and got out,” Shanto said post-match.
“It’s important in a Test match, when batsmen get in, you should look to score big runs. The way Ashwin and Jaddu batted at that time – they batted really well,” he added.
Bumrah on Akash Deep
While Jasprit Bumrah was also the joint-highest wicket taker of the two-match series alongside Ashwin, Akash Deep made impressive inroads as the third seamer in the absence of Mohammed Shami in what was only his second bilateral series in Indian whites.
The Indian pace spearhead was all praise for the 27-year-old pacer, and stated how he assists the newest member of the Indian pace unit.
“He (Akash Deep) comes up to me quite a lot before a spell and asks me what is happening and what should I do, we have had a lot of interesting conversations, the energy he brings on the ball, he gives his best on the field and when he’s bowling, he has got a lot of heart and that is a good sign for us going forward. Hopefully he goes from strength to strength,” Bumrah said.
