Chennai Test: Bowlers’ favourite Rohit Sharma at his tactical best on hot Friday

Rohit Sharma may have experienced a rare twin failure with the bat in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai, but his captaincy was spot-on on Friday, September 20. After R Ashwin’s century and Ravindra Jadeja’s 86 rescued India from a precarious position, helping them reach 376, the Indian bowlers dominated proceedings by bundling out Bangladesh for a meagre 149, securing a 227-run first-innings lead.
While Jasprit Bumrah-led bowling attack had Bangladesh struggling on a spicy Chepauk pitch, Rohit used his resources expertly. With the luxury of five bowlers, India was able to rotate them effectively, keeping them fresh in the sweltering heat of Chennai. In contrast to Bangladesh, who had to toil hard on an overcast Thursday, the Indian bowlers shared the workload perfectly, dismissing the visitors in just 47.1 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah revealed that Rohit had made it clear before Bangladesh’s first innings that bowlers would be given short spells to keep them at their best throughout the day. After taking four wickets on Friday, Bumrah praised Rohit’s understanding of his bowlers and his ability to back them with well-thought-out plans.
IND vs BAN, Chennai Test Highlights
This Test marks the beginning of a busy period of red-ball cricket for India, with 10 Tests scheduled over the next four months. Rohit, aware of the need to manage his bowlers’ workload — especially since they hadn’t played at the highest level since August’s Sri Lanka tour—opted for a rotation strategy. As Rohit mentioned before the Test, a one-month break from international cricket is a rarity for Indian players.
“He understands the bowlers very well. The weather was harsh, and everyone was coming back after a long break. The plan was to keep the spells short but effective, with constant rotation,” Bumrah told the official broadcasters.
“We have fast bowlers who want to bowl fast and make an impact, and we have world-class spinners in our lineup. When the ball is new and the seam is hard, there’s lateral movement, so we wanted to keep coming back in short spells,” he added.
Bumrah was on fire from the outset. He became the 10th Indian bowler to claim 400 international wickets on Friday, getting his first in the very first over. After troubling left-handed opener Shadman Islam from over the wicket, Bumrah changed the angle on the final delivery, and it paid off. He angled one in, and Shadman, leaving it alone, saw the ball clip the top of the off-stump.
Despite getting ample assistance from the pitch, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled only a three-over spell each in the morning. As the session neared lunch, Rohit introduced third pacer Akash Deep and R Ashwin from the other end. Akash repaid his captain’s trust by picking up two quick wickets — Zakir Hasan and Mominul Haque — in his second over. By lunch, Bangladesh was reeling at 26 for 3.
After the break, Rohit brought back his senior pacers, and they delivered once again, reducing Bangladesh to 40 for 5. Although Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das showed some resistance with a 51-run partnership, Rohit rotated his bowlers well, preventing the pair from settling in.
The breakthrough came after a brilliant tactical move by Rohit. Before the wicket-taking ball in the 29th over, bowled by Jadeja, Rohit had moved the short-leg fielder and positioned a close-in fielder on the off-side to block easy singles. Tempted by acres of space on the leg side, Litton attempted a lofted sweep to relieve the pressure, only to top-edge it to substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel at deep fine-leg.
Rohit tightened the noose further, forcing Shakib to attempt a risky reverse sweep, leading to his dismissal in the very next over by Jadeja. With both senior batters gone, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, despite being a capable lower-order batsman, quickly ran out of partners, leaving Bangladesh with a subpar first-innings total.
Although Akash Deep picked up two crucial wickets in the first session, he bowled just five overs in the innings. Bumrah bowled 11 overs, while Siraj sent down 10.1. R Ashwin bowled 13 overs without success, and Jadeja claimed two wickets from his eight overs. Bumrah was given a couple of extra overs in the final session as he hunted for his fifth wicket.
It seems increasingly likely that Bumrah will shoulder the bulk of the bowling duties in this Test before being rested for the second match in Kanpur next week. Akash might have to shoulder the workload in the second Test and, considering his performances, he might be a regular fixture in the home season and earn a ticket to Australia for the hugely-anticipated Border-Gavaskar series, which will be played over five Tests from November to January.
While Rohit has emphasised that the Bangladesh series is not a mere ‘dress rehearsal’ for the tougher challenges ahead, managing the workload of his bowlers — especially the senior ones — remains a top priority for the captain and the Indian team management.
Rohit, a white-ball genius, may have taken over the Test captaincy later in his career, but with each passing match, he is proving that he has the acumen to achieve remarkable things with the Indian team in the longest format.