Inspired by another superlative bowling performance by paceman Mohd Shami, India won by an innings and 130 runs pummeling Bangladesh in less than three days in the first test at the Holkar International Stadium.
After being bundled out for 150 in the first innings, Bangladesh, chasing to wipe out a 343-run deficit imposed by India’s first innings of 493 for 6, were dismissed for 213 in the second knock.
As in the first innings, Shami was once again India’s most successful bowler and Bangladesh’s wreckerin- chief claiming three second innings wickets to finish with the total haul of seven wickets from the match after his four-wicket burst in the first innings of the visitors.
As in Bangladesh’s first knock, Mushfiqur Rahim was once again his team’s highest run-getter in the second too with 60 before he was removed by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Mushfiqur was involved in two key partnerships with Liton Das and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraj putting on 63 and 59 runs for the sixth and seven wickets. But all this only delayed the inevitable defeat which saw Bangladesh that saw the visiting team falling 0-1 behind in the two- Test series.
All that Mushfiqur, Liton and Mehidy did on the third day was to raise short-lived hope of Bangladesh to extend the test into the fourth day. But it was beyond Bangladesh’s capability.
The second test—a day-night event—will be played in Kolkata from November 22 when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the match.
Earlier, Indian skipper Virat Kohli declared their first innings on their overnight score of 493/6 , enjoying a lead of 343, without facing a ball on Saturday in order to give Indian pacemen to take advantage of the grass and early morning damp and rock Bangladesh batting.
That is precisely what happened when openers Imrul Kayes and Shadman Islam started Bangladesh’s second innings which was off much the same way as the first innings on Thursday. After scoring six runs apiece in the first innings, Shadman and Imrul managed to do an encore before departing.
The first to go was Imrul with just ten runs on the scoreboard when paceman Umesh Yadav pitched a ball up slightly outside off and the batsman went for a cover-drive. The shot took the edge and crashed on to the stumps. That brought in captain Mominul Haque.
The second to exit was Shadman. An Ishant Sharma delivery saw Shadman getting somewhat stuck on the crease as the ball headed for the stumps at tremendous pace and Bangladesh were struggling at 16 for 2. Shami struck for the first time in Bangladesh’s second innings with his fifth ball. He came around the stumps to beat Mominul with both pace and movement. On-field umpire Rod Tucker ruled not out but Kohli went for a successful review. Bangladesh lost their third wicket bringing in Mushfiqur.
Kohli did not allow Bangladesh any respite. He brought on Shami again immediately after the drinks break and replaced Ishant with Umesh at the other end.
Mohd Mithun tried to break the shackles imposed by Indian bowlers and tried to hook a bouncer from Shami. The ball was too quick and Mithun too late on the shot and ended up hitting tamely to Mayank Agarwal at short mid-wicket for Bangladesh’s fourth wicket.
Mahmudullah was out to an inexplicable stroke. Shami bowled to an off-stump line and despite the presence of a packed slip cordon, Bangladesh’s T20 captain tried to have a poke and edged it to the second slip where Kohli gleefully accepted the catch. This set the stage for Mushfiqur.
Mushfiqur continued, unperturbed by the proceedings at the other end. He used his feet beautifully against the two Indian spinners and did not hesitate to take them on. Mushfiqur flicked Umesh for two to reach his 20th test fifty. He was dropped in both the innings but made the most of these opportunities by top scoring on both occasions.
Liton played some delectable shots including a delightful punch through mid-wicket off Jadeja that fetched him four. He then pulled Ishant just out of the reach of the leaping short mid-wicket for two. At the other end, Mushfiqur got the boundary from time to time.
Liton started the partnership with a beautiful cover drive off Shami. Taking the cue, Mushfiqur swept Jadeja for a four and then cut him for another.
Using his feet well, Mushfiqur took on the spinners. He reverse swept Ashwin for four, then cut Jadeja crisply for four more before sweeping for another boundary.
Very few in Bangladesh can play spin as authoritatively as Mushfiqur in contemporary cricket.
When Mushfiqur and Liton were batting, Bangladesh for the first time in the day seemed to have managed to get on top of the Indian attack. However, it was a flash in the pan.
Liton's delightful innings was ended by Ashwin. Liton probably expected the ball to be fuller and was beaten by the flight and had to reach out just that tad extra and could only hit it back to Ashwin. Bangladesh lost their sixth batsman and Ashwin got his 360th test wicket.
So pronounced was the domination of Indian pacers in the second innings that Kohli did not need to deploy any of their spinners for 22 overs in the first session of play on Saturday.
It was only in the 23rd over that Kohli introduced Jadeja for the first time in Bangladesh second innings. Having lost four wickets in the first session, there is little Bangladesh could have hoped for beyond taking the fight to the fourth day.
Mehidy amended for his golden duck in the first innings. He flicked Shami to the mid-wicket, slashed at one outside off from Umesh over slips for four. When Shami returned, the Bangladesh spinner smashed one through cover point.
But Mehidy fell to a quicker one from Umesh after going on the back foot to counter it. The ball jagged in more than he had expected and hit him on the elbow and then crashed into the middle stump.
Mushfiur fell to an excellent catch by Cheteshwar Pujara. The batsman tried to hit straight but did not time it well and Pujara ran backwards from mid off to pick up the catch, evoking celebrations by Indian players in a collective display of swinging fists.
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