BAN vs IND: 2nd Test Review – Iyer-Ashwin guide India home

India registered a thrilling comeback win against Bangladesh on Day 4 of the second Test match at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday (December 25). Bangladesh came very close to registering their first-ever Test win against India but Ravichandran Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer pulled off remarkable knocks in the first session to guide India to a three-wicket win. While resuming Day 4 from 45/4, India’s second innings stumbled to 74/7 while chasing a 145-run target. 

Mehidy Hasan Miraz took three valuable wickets of Shuman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli in the last session of Day 3 to give Bangladesh a good start. Jaydev Unadkat started Day 4 with a six but lost his wicket in the next over to Shakib Al Hasan. Mehidy Hasan then took Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant’s valuable wickets to put Bangladesh in complete control of the match.

But Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin stood strong and pulled off an unbeaten 71-run partnership for the eighth wicket to guide India to a big three-wicket win. Shreyas smashed 29* off 46 balls with the help of four fours. But Ashwin, after a slow start, played a match-winning knock of 42* off 62 balls with the help of four fours and a six.

Ashwin also shined with a ball across both innings as he took four wickets in the first innings and two more wickets in the second to win the player of the match award. For Bangladesh, in-form spin all-rounder Mehidy took five wickets in the second innings, including two on Day 4 while Shakib Al Hasan grabbed two.

Best performers from his match:

Ravichandran Ashwin:

The veteran Indian bowling all-rounder proved his all-round skills once again as he smashed unbeaten 42 runs off 62 balls with the help of four fours and a six when the Indian team was struggling at 74/4 while chasing 145 runs on Day 4. Moreover, as usual, he was the pick of the bowlers with six wickets in the second Test.

Shreyas Iyer:

The middle-order batter played a crucial knock of 29* off 46 balls on Day 4 during his match-winning partnership of 71 runs with Ashwin. Iyer also smashed 87 runs off 105 balls in the first innings.

What’s next for both teams?

There is no immediate cricket on schedule for Bangladesh while Indian team will enjoy a week’s break before playing their first limited-overs series of 2023 against Sri Lanka starting from January 3.