Rohit had clear plan to beat Bangladesh in rain-hit Kanpur Test

|| CF DESK ||

Rohit Sharma revealed that India was prepared to take the risk of being bowled out for a low score in their first innings to force a result on a pitch that offered little help to the bowlers. The second and third days of the Kanpur Test were washed out due to drizzle and a wet outfield.

However, with clear weather on the final two days, India made the most of the opportunity.

They first bowled Bangladesh out for 233 in their first innings, taking the last seven wickets for just 121 runs. India then declared their innings at 285 for 9 in just 34.4 overs, giving themselves another chance to bowl at Bangladesh late in the day.

"We had to think a lot [about] how the game can keep moving forward once we lost two-and-a-half days. When we came on day four, we thought, okay, let's try and get them out as quickly as possible and then see with the bat what we can do. Once they had got 230-odd, we said it was not about the runs we get but it was about the overs we wanted to bowl at them. It meant we had to try and up the run-rate and score as many as possible because the pitch did not have much for the bowlers." Rohit said after India wrapped up a seven-wicket win on the fifth day.

Rohit got off to a fiery start in the first innings, smashing 23 runs off just 11 balls, including hitting consecutive sixes off the first two deliveries he faced.

Yashasvi Jaiswal also showcased his aggressive T20-style batting, scoring a quickfire 72 off 51 balls in the first innings and following it up with a 45-ball 51 in the second. With these performances, Jaiswal became the first Indian to score fifties in both innings of a Test match in under 50 balls.

"To make a game out of that pitch was a super effort from the bowlers, and then for the batters to buy into that thought of going and getting the runs as quickly as possible," Rohit said. "It was a risk we were willing to take because when you're trying to bat like that, it is very easy that you can get bundled out for a low score as well. But we were ready with that factor as well, that even if we get all out for 100-150, we wanted to give ourselves a chance to be in the game and try and get a result."

R Ashwin, who was adjudged Player of the Series for his all-round show, also concurred. He picked up 11 wickets, the joint-most in the series, and scored 114 runs including a century in the first innings in Chennai.

"When we bowled them out yesterday a little after lunch, Rohit was very keen [to get a result]. He said, we at least need 80 overs to bowl at them and the moment he came inside and gave that talk [that] we are going to go after it and even if we get all out under 230, I mean, we set the cat amongst the pigeons,” Ashwin said.

"It's not only him saying it but he went out there and hit his first [two balls] for a six. You set the tone that way, and obviously everybody follows on from there" he added.