CHENNAI, India: Ravichandran Ashwin claimed six wickets after a first-innings century with the bat to inspire India to a 280-run thrashing of Bangladesh in the first Test on Sunday.
The tourists, who began day four in an overcast Chennai on 158-4 and chasing 515 for victory, were bowled out for 234 in the first session with skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto scoring 82.
Hometown hero Ashwin struck first to end a stubborn overnight stand by getting Shakib Al Hasan caught at short-leg for 25.
The spinner, who took three wickets on day three, then dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz for one to bag his 37th five-wicket haul.
The feat added to his heroics after his 113 guided the hosts to 376 in the first innings.
Shakib put on 48 runs with skipper Najmul after the pair started cautiously.
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja removed Litton Das for one after the wicketkeeper-batsman edged the ball to skipper Rohit Sharma at first slip.
Jadeja ended Najmul’s valiant stand and took three wickets for the innings.
Spin twins Ashwin and Jadeja had played a key batting role in the first innings when their 199-run seventh-wicket stand lifted India from a precarious 144-6 to a challenging total on the first day.
India declared their second innings at 287-4 on day three after centuries from Shubman Gill, who hit an unbeaten 119, and returning Rishabh Pant, who made 109, flattened the opposition.
Gill and the left-handed Pant, who is playing his first Test since a serious car crash in December 2022, put on 167 runs for the fourth wicket.
The Test was also Virat Kohli’s first since the birth of his second child made him miss India’s 4-1 victory over England at home earlier this year.
Kohli scored just six and 17.
Bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah handed India an early advantage after they bundled out Bangladesh for 149 in their first innings.
India are looking to extend their lead at the top of the World Test Championship rankings in a fresh Test season of 10 matches.
Bangladesh came to Chennai fresh from a landmark series win in Pakistan but they have still never beaten India in Tests.
The two teams now head to the northern Indian city of Kanpur for the second Test starting on Friday.
Ashwin bags six wickets as India hammer Bangladesh in first Test
https://arab.news/6ka39
Ashwin bags six wickets as India hammer Bangladesh in first Test
- India beat Bangladesh by 280 runs in first Test at Chennai
- Chasing 515 runs for victory, Bangladesh were bowled out for 234
Sabalenka powers past Osaka into Indian Wells quarter-finals
- Sabalenka wrapped up the first set with two breaks of serve before Osaka began to find her rhythm
INDIAN WELLS, United States: World number one Aryna Sabalenka powered into the Indian Wells quarter-finals on Tuesday, beating former champion Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 in a battle of Grand Slam winners.
It was another straightforward, straight-sets victory for Sabalenka, who fired 31 winners with eight aces.
“Overall I’m happy that I put so much pressure on her, that I brought variety today on the court,” said Sabalenka, who mixed her booming groundstrokes with effective forays to the net.
“I think she was a little confused in the key moments, and I’m happy to see that,” Sabalenka said. “I’m happy that my serve worked well, on the return I played really great tennis.”
Sabalenka wrapped up the first set with two breaks of serve before Osaka began to find her rhythm.
But the Japanese star was unable to crack the serve of Sabalenka, who saved both break points she faced in the second set and grabbed a break for 4-3 with a pair of forehand winners.
It was just the second meeting between the two, both four-time Grand Slam champions.
Osaka won the first back in 2018 on the way to her first major title at the US Open.
“That’s actually crazy,” Sabalenka said of the fact they haven’t met more often. But she predicted there were more clashes in their future as Osaka, now ranked 16th, regains her momentum on the WTA Tour after taking off all of 2023 and having daughter, Shai, in July of that year.
Sabalenka, runner-up at Indian Wells in 2023 and 2025, will continue her pursuit of a first title in the prestigious ATP and WTA Masters 1000 event against either sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova or 10th-seeded Canadian teen Victoria Mboko.
Australian qualifier Talia Gibson’s dream run in the California desert continued with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 victory over seventh-ranked Italian Jasmine Paolini.
The 21-year-old’s first victory over a top-10 player propelled her into her first WTA quarter-final, where she’ll face either Czech Linda Noskova or Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.
Gibson, ranked 112th, used a late break to pocket the first set, closing it out with her 18th winner of the opening frame.
Paolini sped to a 3-0 lead in the second as Gibson’s errors mounted and it looked as if the experienced Italian, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, had seized control.
But Gibson unleashed a barrage of winners in the third, including a stinging forehand service return on match point.
“Honestly, just completely speechless,” said Gibson, who beat top-20 players Ekaterina Alexandrova and Clara Tauson on the way to the fourth round.
