Ashwin's spell pushes Bangladesh on backfoot, visitors end play at 158/4 during tough chase (Day 3, Stumps)

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 21 (ANI): Three wickets from ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin pushed back Bangladesh in their massive 515 run chase in the first Test against India on Saturday.
At the end of day three, Bangladesh was 158/4, with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (51*) and Shakib Al Hasan (5*) unbeaten. Bangladesh started the final session at 56/0 with Shadman Islam (21) and Zakir Hasan (32) unbeaten on the crease.
Jasprit Bumrah struck early for India in the session, removing Zakir for 33 in 47 balls, with five fours and a six, with Yashasvi Jaiswal taking a fine diving catch at slips. Bangladesh was 62/1.
Though skipper Shanto tried to fight off spinners, Bangladesh lost Shadman as the ball went straight into the hands of Shubman Gill at midwicket, with Ravichandran Ashwin taking the wicket of the batter for 35 in 68 balls, with three fours. Bangladesh was 86/2.
Bangladesh batters continued to attack spinners well, playing some positive cricket. They reached the 100-run mark in 24.4 overs. The pair of Shanto and Mominul Haque scored some boundaries off Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
However, Ashwin managed to remove Mominul's off stump, dismissing him for 13 in 24 balls. Bangladesh was 124/3.
The veteran Mushfiqur Rahim also fell a victim to Ashwin, with KL Rahul taking a fine forward diving catch at mid-on to send back the batter for 13. Bangladesh was 146/4 and in a spot of bother.
The day's play ended due to bad light, with visitors still needing 357 runs.
Bangladesh openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan provided a fine start to their side in order to chase a mammoth total of 515 runs.
At Tea, Bangladesh was 56/0 with Shadman Islam (21) and Zakir Hasan (32) unbeaten on the crease. They still need 459 runs to win the Test match.
The second session of Day three of the Chennai Test resumed with India being at 205/3 with Rishabh Pant (82*) and Shubman Gill (86*) unbeaten on the crease. They currently have a lead by 432 runs.
Pant went on to score a century on his comeback innings in the longest format of the game. He was sent back to the dressing room after scoring 109 runs off 128 balls with the help of 13 fours and four sixes in his inning.
On the other hand, Gill played an unbeaten knock of 119 runs from 176 balls, which was laced with 10 boundaries and four maximums in his inning.
Middle-order batter KL Rahul also played a valuable knock of unbeaten 22 runs in 19 balls, which included four boundaries in his inning.
India declared their innings when the team score was 287 runs for the loss of four wickets. They set a target of 515 runs for the visitors in order to win the first match of the series.
Chasing a mammoth total, Bangladesh openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan started off exceptionally well. Both the batters slammed the Indian bowlers from the first over of the fourth and final innings of the Chennai Test.
Earlier in the morning session,started with the host India being at 81/3, with Gill (33*) and Pant (12*) unbeaten on the crease.
The Rohit Sharma-led side completed the 100-run mark in the 29th over of the third innings. Both batters, Gill and Pant, completed their 50-run partnership in the 38th over as Pant smashed a boundary on the bowling of right-arm off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
Gill completed his fifty in just 79 balls in the penultimate ball of 30th over as he slammed a maximum on the bowling of eight-arm spinner.Team India completed the 150-run mark in the 44th over of the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter, Pant, completed his hal-century in the same over as he took a single on the bowling of Mehidy in 88 balls.
Gill and Pant completed their 100-run partnership in the 48th over. At the end of the first session, both batters have built an unbeaten partnership of 138 runs off 190 balls.
Brief Score: India: 376 and 287/4 d (Shubman Gill 119*, Rishabh Pant 109, Nahid Rana 1/21) lead Bangladesh: 149 & 56/0 (Zakir Hasan 32, Shadman Islam 21, Ravichandran Ashwin 0/7). (ANI)