PASSING LILLEE: ASHWIN IS FASTEST TO SCALP 250 WICKETS IN TESTS
Offie races to 250 wickets, Pujara to fifty leaving hosts seven wickets from beating Bangladesh
R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, who both struggled in the first innings, came good in the second, reducing Bangladesh to 103 for 3 at close of Day 4 to take India close to victory in the one-off Test at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday. Bangladesh trailed by 355 runs with a day to go after they were set a 459-run fourth-innings target.
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 teams have done 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.
INEXPERIENCED SIDE
This is the first time Bangladesh are playing in India and the lack of experience was evident.
After batting till almost lunch with captain Mushfqur Rahim making a brilliant century, the fifth of his career, the visitors allowed Virat Kohli’s boys to run away with the game. India made 158 in the middle session to declare at tea.
In their second innings, Bangladesh lost Tamim Iqbal early to Ashwin, caught by Virat Kohli at gully. The umpire did not give him out but India’s review proved successful. Soumya Sarkar, the other opener, added 60 with Mominul Haque but both were dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja in identical fashion, failing to keep the ball down.
Ajinkya Rahane at slip took a one-handed sharp catch to remove Sarkar and an easier one to signal the end of Mominul.
Shakib al Hasan and Mahmudullah played out the remaining overs, adding 28. Shakib was the aggressor, not afraid to take on the spinners, hitting four boundaries.
SHIFTING GEARS
Cheteshwar Pujara’s half-century (54*) and his partnerships with Kohli (38), Rahane (28) and Jadeja (16*) helped India make 158 runs in a session to put the pressure back on Bangladesh. After India lost the openers early, Kohli and Pujara scored at six runs an over, adding 67 runs for the third wicket to set the tone.
India had entered the day hoping to mop up Bangladesh’s remaining four wickets, and probably enforce the follow on, but Mushfiqur batted with the tail to thwart that. During his gritty 262-ball knock, he wasn’t afraid of stepping out against the spinners, even hitting Ashwin to midwicket for six. But the offie ended his and Bangladesh’s resistance, having him caught behind for his 250th Test wicket.