5 best moments in India-Bangladesh Test history ft. Ishant Sharma's fifer in Pink-ball Test
Team India will face Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, starting September 19, in Chennai, with the second game scheduled for September 27 in Kanpur. The series marks India’s first Test action since their 4-1 victory over England in a five-match series at home earlier this year.
In contrast, Bangladesh comes into this series fresh off a clean sweep against Pakistan in a two-match Test series.
In terms of head-to-head records, the teams have met 13 times, with India winning 11 matches and two ending in a draw. The first Test between two teams occurred in 2000, and they last faced off in 2022.
As both teams gear up for this crucial series, we will look at five memorable moments in India-Bangladesh Test history.
#1 Bangladesh's maiden Test came against India in 2000
Bangladesh's inaugural Test match took place against India in 2000 in Dhaka. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the hosts posted 400 runs in their first innings, largely due to Aminul Islam's impressive 145 runs. Sunil Joshi was the standout bowler for India, picking up five wickets.
In response, India scored 429 runs, led by the fifties from Sadagoppan Ramesh (58), Sourav Ganguly (84), and Sunil Joshi (92), which gave them a 29-run lead. Bangladesh struggled in their second innings, managing only 91 runs. Chasing a target of 63 runs, India secured a comfortable victory by nine wickets.
#2 11 wickets by Irfan Pathan across two innings
India faced Bangladesh in the first match of their two-match Test series in Dhaka in 2004. After winning the toss, India elected to bowl first, with Irfan Pathan leading the attack. The left-arm pacer took five wickets as the hosts were bowled out for 184, with Mohammad Ashraful top-scoring with 60 runs.
In response, Sachin Tendulkar delivered one of the finest innings of his Test career, scoring an unbeaten 248 to help India post 526 runs in their first innings.
Bangladesh struggled in their second innings, being bowled out for 202, resulting in a defeat by an innings and 140 runs. Irfan Pathan was the standout player, taking six wickets and earning the Player of the Match award for his 11 wickets in the match.
#3 Virat Kohli's double hundred in Hyderabad
India hosted Bangladesh for a one-off Test in Hyderabad in 2017. The hosts won the toss and chose to bat first. Murali Vijay (108) and Wriddhiman Saha (106) scored impressive centuries, while Virat Kohli excelled with a double hundred, making 204 runs off 246 balls, including 24 boundaries. India declared their first innings at 687/6.
For Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim made a commendable contribution with 127 runs, helping the visitors reach 388 in their first innings. India then declared their second innings at 159/4, with Cheteshwar Pujara remaining unbeaten on 54, setting a target of 459 runs.
In the fourth innings, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja each took four wickets, as Bangladesh was dismissed for 250, resulting in a 208-run victory for India.
#4 Ishant Sharma excelled with the ball in India’s first-ever pink-ball Test at home
India played their first pink-ball Test at home against Bangladesh in the final match of a two-game Test series at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2019. After being asked to bowl first, India quickly dismantled the Bangladeshi batting lineup, with Ishant Sharma leading the charge with a five-wicket haul. Bangladesh was limited to just 106 runs in their first innings.
In response, Virat Kohli made an impressive 136 runs off 194 balls, hitting 18 boundaries, as India declared their first innings at 347/9, taking a 241-run lead.
In their second innings, Bangladesh was bowled out for 195, with Umesh Yadav taking five wickets and Ishant Sharma claiming four. India secured victory by an innings and 46 runs.
#5 An unbeaten partnership of 71 runs for the eighth wicket between Shreyas Iyer and R. Ashwin in the fourth innings of the 2022 Test
In the second match of the two-test series in 2022 in Mirpur, Bangladesh scored 227 runs in their first innings. In response, half-centuries from Rishabh Pant (93) and Shreyas Iyer (87) helped the visitors reach 314.
In their second innings, Litton Das scored 73 runs, setting India a target of 145 runs on a spin-friendly pitch. India found themselves in trouble, losing seven wickets for just 74 runs.
However, Shreyas Iyer (29*) and R. Ashwin (42*) formed an unbeaten partnership of 71 runs on a difficult wicket, leading India to a three-wicket victory.