IND vs BAN 2024: 5 takeaways from India vs Bangladesh Test series

The much-anticipated Test series between India and Bangladesh concluded with the home team whitewashing the visitors 2-0 in emphatic fashion. The Indian team proved too strong for their eastern neighbours as the latter dominated India for only two sessions in the series. Post that, it was mostly India all the way.

Talking about the first match in Chennai, Bangladesh had India on the mat on Day 1 at 144/6. A century from Ashwin and a valiant 86 from Jadeja brought India out of trouble. With 376 on the board, the Indian bowlers did their job excellently, bowling Bangladesh out for 149. India batted well to post a target of 515 which proved too much for the visitors as they lost the match by 280 runs.

The second match began under dark skies. After coming into bat, Bangladesh hardly got going as they lost their first three wickets for 80 runs. With the score on 107/3 rain came into the picture and played spoilsport for the next two and a half days. As Day 4 started, the match seemed to be headed for a draw. However, another industrious bowling effort from India ensured Bangladesh were bowled out for 233.

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What came next blew away the visitors. Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal played like it was a T20 game and the batters to follow stuck to the same theme. India scored 285/9d in just 34.4 overs which allowed them a lot of time to bowl Bangladesh out again which they did in decently quick time to chase a target of 95 runs. Eventually, India cruised to a win by seven wickets.

Here are five things that we learned from this series –

1. India are far ahead of Bangladesh in Tests

A couple of weeks before the tour commenced, Bangladesh had clean-swept Pakistan in Pakistan (2-0), in the process winning not just a series but also a Test match against them for the first time. Understandably, it gave them immense confidence and a warning to India to not take them lightly. With this background, it was expected that Bangladesh will give India a run for their money which they did but only in the first two sessions of the series. After that, India were ahead of the opposition throughout.

As a team, Bangladesh failed to click during crucial phases. Their batting was not up to the mark in the first innings in Chennai. In fact, it was inconsistent overall. More than the skills their mindset seemed to be the issue as it did not seem clear what their intent was. It was not the Bangladesh batting that we have seen on many occasions, especially at home, when they look to try to dominate the bowlers.

Talking of the bowling, one can argue it was better than their batting. However, it was put under pressure not just by the Indian bowlers but also by the lack of runs from their own batters. The overall body language of the Bangladeshis on the field did not seem of a team which could rise from the ashes or dominate. The gulf between India and Bangladesh seemed wide in this series.

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