The India captain Rohit Sharma has explained that the hosts were willing to take the risk of being bowled out for low scores as the weather hit the second test after pulling the dramatic win on Tuesday.
The hosts were racing against time to produce a favourable result as they lost two days of gameplay time due to wet conditions. Out of all India was able to win the match by seven wickets and a session to spare.
Rohit Sharma revealed how the team planned and executed an all-out aggressive show on day 04 of the second test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
India scored 285 runs in their first innings in just 34.4 overs at a run rate of 8.22 per over. Racing after day 03, India broke world records at will for the fastest team to have 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250.
Captain @ImRo45 collects the @IDFCFIRSTBank Trophy from BCCI Vice President Mr. @ShuklaRajiv 👏👏#TeamIndia complete a 2⃣-0⃣ series victory in Kanpur 🙌
Scorecard – https://t.co/JBVX2gyyPf#INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/Wrv3iNfVDz
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 1, 2024
However, the fourth day saw a score of 400 runs and 18 wickets. It was the bowlers who played a crucial role in the match. The visitors started Day 04 at 107 runs and managed to score only 126 runs in their first innings.
After Bowling out Bangladesh for 146 runs in the second innings, India was set to chase 95 runs on the last day of the test match.
While speaking in the post-match conference, Rohit Sharma said, “To be honest, we had to think a lot to keep the game moving forward,” Rohit Sharma said, adding India were prepared to get bowled out for 100.
“When we came on day four, we wanted to get them [Bangladesh] out as early as possible and see what we can do with the bat. It was not about the runs we got but the overs we wanted to bowl at them.”
“The pitch didn’t have much for bowlers but to get a game out of that pitch was a great effort from the bowlers. The batters were willing to take the risk and we were ready to give ourselves a chance at a result,” he said.
India completed a 2-0 win to remain in the top spot in the World Test Championship Points table. This is the first test assignment for Rahul Dravid as Indias’s head coach.
“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. With Gautam Gambhir…I’ve played with him and I know what sort of mindset he has. Early days still, but very fruitful.
India has a three-match test series against New Zealand before facing Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024.
