IND vs BAN: Rohit Sharma admits taking risks to secure victory on tough Kanpur pitch

India captain Rohit Sharma revealed that his team was willing to take a bold risk in their first innings during the Kanpur Test, aiming for a result on a pitch that offered little assistance to bowlers. With the second and third days of the match washed out due to drizzle and wet outfield conditions, India needed an aggressive approach to push for a win.

Clear skies over the last two days allowed India to dismiss Bangladesh for 233 in the first innings, picking up the last seven wickets for just 121 runs. India then declared on 285 for 9 in only 34.4 overs, setting Bangladesh a target late on day five. India eventually sealed a seven-wicket victory.

"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.

Rohit led by example, smashing 23 runs off just 11 balls in the second innings, which included hitting two consecutive sixes off the first two balls he faced. Yashasvi Jaiswal also showcased his T20 skills, scoring a 51-ball 72 in the first innings and following it up with a 45-ball 51 in the second. Jaiswal became the first Indian to score fifties in both innings of a Test in less than 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. 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," he further added.

India’s series win not only demonstrated their depth but also extended their lead in the World Test Championship, solidifying their dominance in the format.