India’s spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who both struggled in the first innings, finally came good in the second, reducing Bangladesh cricket team to 103 for 3 at close on the fourth day to take India cricket team close to victory in the one-off Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. (UPDATES)
Bangladesh trail by 355 runs after they were set a 459-run target. (SCORECARD)
Bangladesh’s primary target at the day’s start was to stretch the hosts which they did, taking the game into the fifth day, but surviving the remaining 90 of the 125 overs given to them in fourth innings looks unlikely as they’ll have to do what only three other teams have done before in India. South Africa batted 143.1 overs in Delhi in 2015, New Zealand 135 at Mohali in 1999 and England 134 at Brabourne in 1964.
This is the first time Bangladesh are playing in India and the lack of experience was evident throughout the game in patches.
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After batting till almost lunch with captain Mushfqur Rahim making a brilliant century, the fifth of his career, the visitors allowed Kohli’s boys to run away with the game. India made 158 in the middle session, with contribution from all batsmen, to declare at tea.
{{/usCountry}}After batting till almost lunch with captain Mushfqur Rahim making a brilliant century, the fifth of his career, the visitors allowed Kohli’s boys to run away with the game. India made 158 in the middle session, with contribution from all batsmen, to declare at tea.
{{/usCountry}}In their second innings, they lost Tamim Iqbal early to Ravichandran Ashwin, caught by Virat Kohli in gully. The umpire had not given him out but reversed the decision on India’s review. Soumya Sarkar, the other opener, then added 60 with Mominul Haque but the two were dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja quickly in similar fashion, failing to keep the ball down.
Ajinkya Rahane, at slip took a one-handed sharp catch to send Sarkar back and then took a relatively easier one to signal the end of Momin.
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Shakib al Hasan and Mahmudullah played out the remaining part, adding 28 with Shakib being the aggressor, not afraid to take on the spinners and hitting four boundaries.
Earlier, Cheteshwar Pujara’s half-century (54*) and his partnerships with Virat Kohli (38), Ajinkya Rahane (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (16*) helped India make 158 runs in one session to put pressure back on Bangladesh. After they lost two early wickets, Kohli and Pujara went about scoring at six an over, adding 67 runs for the third wicket to set the tone.
India had entered the day hoping to mop off Bangladesh’s remaining four wickets and probably enforce the follow on, but Mushfiq batted with the tail to thwart that. During his 262-ball gritty knock, he wasn’t afraid of stepping out against the spinners, even hitting R Ashwin to midwicket boundary for a six. But the Indian offie ended his and Bangladeshi resistance, getting him caught behind for what was his 250th Test wicket.