Dubai: India won the second Test against Bangladesh in under two days, thanks largely to their aggressive Twenty20-style approach. The Men in Blue chased down their target of 95 in just 17.2 overs, having faced a total of 312 deliveries — the fourth lowest in Test history. Starting the day at 26 for two, Bangladesh’s innings folded by lunch for 146, leaving India with a modest target to secure the win.
India reached their goal with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scoring his second half-century of the match. The current Twenty20 world champions played the Test like the shortest format, scoring at a remarkable run-rate of 8.22. This aggressive approach put Bangladesh’s bowlers under immense pressure.
Relentless pressure
After three rain-interrupted days, India’s bowlers also capitalised on the situation, adopting an attacking line and maintaining relentless pressure on their opponents.
Bangladesh’s all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz acknowledged India’s strategy, saying: “In Test cricket, we see different scenarios and today, it was like a T20. India came with a plan and mindset of winning, the way they scored runs from top to bottom. We tried to restrict them, but credit goes to them and they are also a top team with experienced and world-class players.”
Aggression under new leadership
India’s aggressive approach is not new, as they used a similar strategy to defeat South Africa earlier this year under coach Rahul Dravid. However, the new partnership between skipper Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir appears to have further enhanced this tactic.
“When Rahul [Dravid] bhai said he was done, we had a fantastic time together. Then life moves on … With Gautam Gambhir, I’ve played with him and I know what sort of mindset he has. It’s still early days, but it’s been very fruitful,” Rohit Sharma told the broadcasters after the win. “The batters were willing to take the risk, and we were ready to give ourselves a chance at a result.”
Bowlers make the difference
Jasprit Bumrah led the bowling attack with six wickets in the match, while Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj all made important contributions. Akash Deep, playing only his third Test, was also praised by both Rohit and Bumrah for his consistent effort and ability to deliver long spells.
“Akash has been good and he’s played a lot of domestic cricket. He can do the job the team expects him to do,” Rohit said, while Bumrah added: “Deep comes up to me quite a lot and asks, ‘what do you think I should do?’ He’s got a lot of heart, and whenever he bowls, he gives his best.”
Ashwin’s all-round brilliance
Ravichandran Ashwin was named the player of the series for his outstanding performance with both bat and ball. He scored a century and took six wickets in the first match, and his consistent contributions helped India secure the series win.
281 — Ind vs South Africa, 2024
300 — South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 2005
312 — India vs Bangladesh, 2024
327 — Australia vs South Africa, 1932
“When we bowled Bangladesh out after lunch on Monday, Rohit said that we wanted to go for it, and then he stepped out and hit the first ball for six — that set the tone,” Ashwin said.
With this emphatic Test victory, India strengthened their lead at the top of the World Test Championship standings. The team will now face Bangladesh in a three-match Twenty20 series, starting in Gwalior on Sunday.
