India Dominates Bangladesh in Opening Test of 2023/24 Season with a 280-Run Victory
India secured a commanding 280-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test of the 2023/24 home season, wrapping up the win in Chennai well before lunch. This dominant performance added several notable achievements to India’s cricketing history.
Century and five-fer in a Test for India
| Player | Century | Five-fer | Against | Venue | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinoo Mankad | 184 | 5/196 | Eng | Lord’s | 1952 |
| Polly Umrigar | 172* | 5/107 | WI | Port of Spain | 1961/62 |
| R Ashwin | 103 | 5/156 | WI | Wankhede | 2011/12 |
| R Ashwin | 113 | 7/83 | WI | North Sound | 2016 |
| R Ashwin | 106 | 5/43 | Eng | Chennai | 2020/21 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 175* | 5/41 | SL | Mohali | 2021/22 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 112 | 5/41 | Eng | Rajkot | 2023/24 |
| R Ashwin | 113 | 6/88 | Ban | Chennai | 2024/25 |
Key Stats from the Match:
- 179-178 Win-Loss Record: India now has more Test wins (179) than losses (178) for the first time in their 92-year Test cricket history. This milestone was achieved in India’s 580th Test match. India becomes the seventh team to hold a winning record in Test cricket, joining Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, England, West Indies, and South Africa. New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, and Ireland are yet to reach this landmark.
- 280 Runs: The 280-run victory margin is the third-largest for a team in Asia after being reduced to 150 or fewer for six wickets in the first innings. Notable comparisons include Pakistan’s 341-run win over India in Karachi (2006) and India’s own victory against South Africa in Delhi (2015), where they recovered from 139/6.
- R Ashwin’s Double Feat: Ashwin became only the second player in history to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test four times. He trails only Ian Botham, who achieved this feat five times. Ashwin is also the first to do so twice at the same venue, Chennai, having previously accomplished it against England in 2021.
- Ashwin’s Bowling Record: With 37 five-wicket hauls in 101 Tests, Ashwin is now tied with Shane Warne, who achieved the same in 145 matches. Muttiah Muralitharan leads the list with 67 five-wicket hauls from 133 matches.
- Ashwin’s Fourth-Innings Dominance: Ashwin’s 99 wickets in the fourth innings of Tests is the most by an Indian bowler, surpassing Anil Kumble’s 94. His seventh five-wicket haul in the fourth innings puts him second on the all-time list, alongside Warne and Muralitharan, behind only Rangana Herath’s 12.
- Unique Bowling Achievement: Ashwin became the first bowler to take six wickets in the second innings after going wicketless in the first innings twice. He previously did so against the West Indies in North Sound (2016). Venkatesh Prasad was the only other Indian bowler to achieve this, doing so in Chennai against Pakistan in 1999.
- Player of the Match Awards: Ashwin earned his 10th Player of the Match award in Test cricket, placing him joint third on India’s all-time list alongside Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, and Anil Kumble. Only Sachin Tendulkar (14) and Rahul Dravid (11) have won more.
- Low DRS Usage: This match saw only four DRS referrals, the joint-lowest for a Test match in India. The Rajkot Test between India and West Indies in 2018 also had just four referrals. Only one LBW dismissal occurred in this Test, matching records of fewest LBW dismissals in Tests held on Indian soil.
- Mushfiqur Rahim’s Milestone: Mushfiqur Rahim became Bangladesh’s highest run-scorer in international cricket, surpassing Tamim Iqbal’s tally of 15,192 runs. Rahim now has 15,205 runs, while Shakib Al Hasan follows in third place with 14,721 runs.
This comprehensive win adds to India’s illustrious Test record and sets the tone for their home season, with Ashwin’s exceptional all-round performance standing out as a highlight.
