India fast bowler Akash Deep set Bangladesh on the backfoot with two sensational consecutive wickets just before lunch on the second day of the first Test in Chennai. Having managed to pull through the first session after Jasprit Bumrah had shaken things up with the sixth ball of the innings, Bangladesh were now crumbling after losing two wickets in tandem off the bat of Akash.

In a much-needed fight back, he first went across Zakir Hasan’s middle stump with a fiery effort and then, in another pulsating over, removed Mominul Haque’s off stump with another match-winning effort. It was not until a few deliveries were left that Bangladesh slipped from 22/1 to 22/3, courtesy of Akash Deep on a hat-trick.

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The Indian dressing room was in ecstasy at such a fascinating collapse, while head coach Gautam Gambhir applauded the effort and bowling coach Morne Morkel was visibly elated. And two quick dismissals left Bangladesh limping to 26/3 at the lunch interval and 350 runs behind India.

Just earlier, India’s Jasprit Bumrah sent opener Shadman Islam back to the hut without scoring more than two runs from the very first over of the match. Altogether seven wickets fell during the morning session, all thanks to fast bowlers.

What a sight for a fast bowler!

Akash Deep rattles stumps twice, giving #TeamIndia a great start into the second innings.

Watch the two wickets here 👇👇#INDvBAN @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/TR8VznWlKU

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 20, 2024

India resumed from the overnight score of 339/6, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja laying the platform for the team that had begun their innings solidly on Day 1. But Jadeja fell without contribution to his overnight score of 86, taken by Taskin Ahmed, who got his first wicket of the game. Then came Akash Deep, whose 17 off 30 balls, with four boundaries, put the pressure on Taskin, who got him out as well.

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Ashwin, whose contribution of 113 off 133 balls was crucial to the Bangladesh bowling effort, was the third Bangladeshi victim of the innings, who was given a warm round of applause by the Chennai crowd. Hasan Mahmud took his five-wicket haul, becoming the first Bangladeshi bowler to do it on Indian soil as he sent Bumrah to end India’s innings at 376 in 91.2 overs.