India ended the first session on day three of the first Test against Bangladesh with a lead of 290 runs at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, here on Friday.
After Kuldeep Yadav completed his third five-for in the eighth Test match and India bowled out Bangladesh for just 150, captain KL Rahul (20 not out) and Shubman Gill (15 not out) took the visitors to 36/0 in the first 15 overs of the second innings.
Rahul got off the mark with a beautiful drive-through cover off Khaled Ahmed, before being cautious alongside Gill, who was being troubled by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam. He even had Gill trapped lbw in the fourth over but didn’t get his scalp as the review showed the ball would miss the leg-stump.
As Gill continued to be more watchful, Rahul finally got some loose deliveries off Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the final over before lunch, leaning into a drive on a full and wide delivery through backward point. When Mehidy again gave width, Rahul was quick to go on backfoot and cut fiercely through the same region.
Bangladesh missed the services of quick bowler Ebadot Hossain, who didn’t take the field due to back spasms, and with captain Shakib Al Hasan did not bowling due to his niggles around his ribs and shoulder. The pitch didn’t show any signs of playing tricks, but could soon show some of them post-lunch.
Previously in the morning, India took a massive 254-run lead, thanks to Kuldeep’s fifer, and chose not to enforce the follow-on. Resuming from 133/8, Ebadot and Mehidy hit a boundary each off Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep.
India had a breakthrough in Kuldeep’s next over when he got one to spin past Ebadot’s flick and took the faint edge behind to Rishabh Pant, who completed a sharp catch down the leg. Ebadot’s dismissal ended the 42-run stand and made Kuldeep the first Indian bowler to take a fifer at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Seven overs later, Mehidy was stumped by Pant off Axar Patel to end Bangladesh’s innings, where only two batters — Mehidy and Mushfiqur Rahim — were able to bat for more than 50 deliveries.
On Thursday, Mohammed Siraj grabbed three wickets with the new ball — including taking out Najmul Hossain Shanto on the first delivery of the Bangladesh innings, to run through the top order.
Kuldeep then took over with his pace, flight, and turn to spin a web around the Bangladesh batters. On his second delivery of the match, he had captain Shakib Al Hasan caught at first slip, followed by having Nurul Hasan caught at short-leg.
He had two more scalps on day two — trapping Rahim plumb lbw and cramping Taijul Islam for a room with a googly, forcing him to chop onto his stumps.
Brief Scores:
India 404 in 133.5 overs (Cheteshwar Pujara 90; Taijul Islam 4/133) and 36/0 in 15 overs (KL Rahul 20 not out,Shubman Gill 15 not out) lead Bangladesh 150 all out in 55.5 overs (Mushfiqur Rahim 28, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 25; Kuldeep Yadav 5/40, Mohammed Siraj 3/20) by 290 runs
