Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin stole the show in India's dominant victory over Bangladesh.
Pant, returning to Test cricket after a successful IPL stint, showcased his class with a century, reminding everyone of his immense talent. His ability to play aggressive shots combined with his solid defense was a key factor in India's strong start.
Ashwin, on the other hand, proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Not only did he contribute significantly with the ball, claiming crucial wickets, but he also played a pivotal role with the bat, scoring a valuable century. His all-round performance was instrumental in India's commanding lead.
The captain was delighted with the manner in which Pant marked his return to Test cricket, scoring his sixth hundred in the traditional format.
It hasn't been easy for Pant, and his skipper acknowledged that.
"He's been through some really tough times. The way he has managed himself through those tough times was superb to watch. He came back in the IPL, followed by a very successful World Cup and this is the format he loves the most."
"For us, it was never about what is he going to do with the bat, we always knew what he had with the bat and with the gloves as well. It was just about giving him the game time."
"Credit to him as well, he went on to play Duleep Trophy and got ready for this Test match and had an impact straightaway in the game."
India declared their second innings at 287 for 4 for an overall lead of 514.
Rohit said, "You have to give credit to the guys, whenever there is a responsibility, they never shy away from it and they want to put their hand up and get the job done for the team."
The India captain said it was all about staying patient with the match being played on a red soil pitch.
"The red soil pitch always has something to offer. You need to have a little bit of patience as well. You don't see much happening straightaway. This was a pitch where we had to show a lot of patience whether we bat or bowl.”
"We were patient enough with the bat to get those big runs and then with the ball as well we were patient enough to hit the right areas and put them under pressure consistently."
Ashwin, who turned it around for India with his magnificent century in the company of Ravindra Jadeja after the home team was reeling at 144 for six in the first innings, received accolades form his skipper.
"Every time we look up to him, he's always there for us whether with the bat or ball. I don't know if I speak here, it'll be enough of what he does for this team."
"Every time we see him come out and do the job, it's always so brilliant. He's never out of the game."
"The last competitive cricket he played was IPL and then he had some fun playing TNPL. We watched him bat up the order and that's what helped him as well to bat the way he did," Rohit said.
