Home hero Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday said he made a conscious effort to bat aggressively on the red clay pitch prepared for the first Test against Bangladesh. The ploy worked brilliantly as Ashwin pulled India out of a hole with a brilliant century in front of his home crowd. “It’s an old Chennai surface with a bit of bounce and carry. The red clay pitch allows you to play a few shots if you just want to line up and give it a bit of a ton when it’s wide, Ashwin said. Host broadcasters following opening day action.

“Of course, I’ve always been swinging my bat outside the off-stump. Worked on some things and with a bit of spice on a surface like that, if you’re going after the ball, you might as well go after it. It is difficult like Rishabh.

Rishabh Pant also batted well for his 39 off 52 balls before falling to a loose stroke. On a day when India lost their top four for 96, Ashwin showed superb control and formed an unbreakable partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (86*) to bowl Bangladesh to a brilliant 102 not out off 112 balls. But dominate. It was Ashwin’s sixth Test century. Incidentally, MS Dhoni has also scored six Test centuries.

Ashwin attributed his strong performance to his recent stint in the Tamil Nadu Premier League, where he worked on his batting. “It helps that I have come back after a T20 tournament (TNPL). I have worked a lot on my batting,” he said.

Ashwin, who scored his second century at the venue, said, “It’s always a special feeling to play in front of the home crowd. It’s a ground I love to play cricket at. It’s given me a lot of great memories.”

Jadeja among the best batsmen

Ashwin also acknowledged his teammate Jadeja’s support during the tough phase of the innings.

“He (Jadeja) was a real helper. There was a time when I was sweating and a bit tired. Jadeja sensed it quickly and guided me through that phase,” Ashwin said of Jadeja’s key advice. said while appreciating the ability. The right moment

“Jidu has been one of our best batsmen for the team over the last few years. His presence has been solid, and his advice that we don’t need to convert twos to threes has been really helpful for me.”

The duo’s 195-run partnership for the seventh wicket took India from 144/6 to 339/6 at the end of the first day.

Looking ahead to the next day, Ashwin said: “It’s a typical, old-fashioned Chennai pitch where the overspin will have a bit of bounce.

“The wicket will start making its moves much later in the game. There’s plenty of pace in it — good carry, good bounce if we serve the seam well and hard.

“The new ball will take a bit of work, and we’ll have to start fresh tomorrow. It’s still wet down there, so hopefully as it dries, it will be faster,” he added. .