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IND vs BAN, 1st Test: Will Rohit Sharma Declare Or Wait To Get All Out vs Bangladesh On Day 3?

Rohit Sharma [X]Rohit Sharma [X]

India are playing against Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match Test series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. At the end of the first two days of play, the home team is in a dominating position, and they will be looking to complete their victory and take the lead in the series. 

Bangladesh dominated the clash at the contest's start after winning the toss and putting India to bat. Led by Hasan Mahmud, the visitors had India reeling at 34/3 inside the first ten overs. However, the 'Ravi-duo' of Ashwin and Jadeja saved the day for India and propelled them to a formidable total of 376 runs.

Led by Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian bowling attack destroyed the Bangladesh batting and bundled them out for 149. During their second dig of the match, the Indian team was 81/3 at the end of Day 2 and had a lead of 308 over the visitors. 

The question here arises: With three days in hand, will India look to bat until they are all out, or will they declare the innings and buy more time for themselves to bundle out the Bangladeshis a second time in the match? 

The critical factor in determining India's strategy will be how the Chepauk ground has behaved historically. So, let us look at the stats at Chepauk for the last four Test matches - 

Last Innings Stats At Chepauk In Last 4 Matches

In the last four Test games at Chepauk, only one team has won while chasing in the previous innings. India registered a win against Australia in 2013 while chasing just 50 runs.

  • Average Score - 153
  • Highest Successful Chase - 50/0 by India vs Australia in 2013
  • Highest Team Total - 207 by England vs India in 2016
  • Lowest Team Total - 164 by England vs India in 2021

So, the trend shows us that any target over 200 is relatively safe for the defending team in the last innings. Considering that, one might say that India already has more than enough lead on the board to win this game. 

What should be India's strategy on Day 3?

With a lead of 308 on the board, India seems to be in a zone where they should win this match rather convincingly. But these are the opportunities that a team should use to give their batters game time and keep them ready for the upcoming matches. 

Shubman Gill, who has suffered from a lack of form lately, should ideally use this chance to regain his form. The Indian management should allow the young batter the time he gets to spend in the middle. 

While allowing Gill and probably Rishabh Pant time in the middle, India will also be able to build on their lead. Even if a wicket falls early in the day, India can wait for KL Rahul to also have some time in the middle. In the process, India will eventually get past the 450 mark with their lead, and that should be more than enough for them. 

A target of 450 will allow India to dominate the clash and win the game convincingly. Stretching the innings beyond that would be rather useless. So, India's ideal strategy on Day 3 should be to take a lead of 450 and then declare, rather than bat till they are bundled out.