India pacer Akash Deep joined the morning party after Jasprit Bumrah drew first blood on Day 2 of the first Test against Bangladesh. Up against a gritty Bangladesh side that came into the Test series on the back of successful 2-0 series triumph in Pakistan, Indian pacers proved that they are class apart with three brilliant dismissals at Chepauk on Friday. First Bumrah sent Shadman Islam packing before Akash Deep delivered two identical deliveries to shatter the stumps of Zakir Hasan and Mominul Haque. However, the pacer couldn’t convert the twin dismissal into a hat-trick.

Akash Deep, who earned Team India nod after a brilliant performance in Duleep Trophy, breached the defence of Hasan and Haque with two unplayable deliveries. Here’s the video:

Deep impact #IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #INDvBAN #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/NafbMhr1W3

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) September 20, 2024

Just as fans had started singing praises of Bumrah, who drew the first blood for India, Deep proved that he can make the red cherry do the talking as well. Sitting in the dressing room, even India head coach Gautam Gambhir was impressed.

Akash Deep removes Zakir Hasan just before lunch. What a delivery

And even Gautam Gambhir is smiling. What a moment #INDvBAN #tapmad #DontStopStreaming pic.twitter.com/tWmRW5dgR3

— babar (@Muhammad5597110) September 20, 2024

Team India, resuming from overnight 339 for six, were bowled out for 376 in their first innings, a total built around excellent knocks by Ravichandran Ashwin (113, 133 balls, 11×4, 2×6) and Ravindra Jadeja (86, 124 balls, 10×4, 2×6).

Their seventh-wicket alliance was worth 199 runs, which came off 240 balls, resisting the Bangladesh bowlers for 189 minutes across three sessions. After that feisty effort, India needed a fine beginning to sustain the momentum, and Bumrah provided it by dismissing Shadman Islam (2).

Islam shouldered arms to a delivery, which was bowled to him from around the wicket, that cut back a bit, and the ball thudded onto the stumps. Soon, Akash added the scalps of Zakir Hasan (3) and Mominul Haque (0) in successive balls to push Bangladesh into a spot of bother, as both the batters fatally played the wrong line.

With PTI Inputs