Rohit Sharma's 'abracadabra' in a match against Bangladesh

Rohit Sharma's unusual manoeuvre set the stage for the disintegration of the Bangladesh batting lineup, which crumbled in a swift 6.2 overs.

India secured a commanding 280-run victory against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, taking a decisive 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. Ravichandran Ashwin, who notched a record century in the first innings of the opening Test, delivered an impressive six-wicket haul on Day 4, marking his fourth instance of achieving both a hundred and a five-wicket haul in the same match, as he helped dismiss Bangladesh for just 234 runs in their final innings.

Chasing a daunting target of 515 runs, Bangladesh faced an uphill battle. They had never won a Test match when trying to chase a score of 400 runs or more, having only managed one draw out of 20 attempts. Conversely, India has never lost a Test after setting a target of 500 or more, achieving 22 victories in 56 such matches, with 28 ending in draws.

Despite beginning their innings with an overnight score of 158 for four, Bangladesh showed resilience in the early stages, with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and seasoned all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan at the crease.

Amid this tension, India’s captain Rohit Sharma attempted to mimic a classic Virat Kohli moment by switching the bails, albeit in a somewhat haphazard manner. Uncertain about his own theatrics, he jokingly cast a spell on the stumps as he returned to his position at first slip. Unfortunately for him, the charm didn’t work as Mehidy Hasan Miraz hit a boundary from the next ball bowled by Ravindra Jadeja. However, India soon claimed a wicket in the next over, with Ashwin marking his 37th five-wicket haul, and the remainder of the Bangladesh side fell apart within the subsequent 26 deliveries.

Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, who has attempted a similar move during his career after witnessing Nathan Lyon do it multiple times, noted its origin among the Australians. Virat Kohli, though he hasn’t disclosed his influences, first showcased this tactic during the 2024 tour of South Africa, notably in the Centurion and Newlands Tests. In fact, Kohli's actions at Newlands led to a wicket in the same over, much to the annoyance of Aiden Markram, who faced Kohli's mind games again when he took strike for the final ball on Day 1.