India v Bangladesh, Only Test Day 4: 5 Talking Points

Hosts Team India continued their dominance in the ongoing one-off Test against Bangladesh and put themselves within striking distance of a victory at the end of the 3rd day’s play at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday. Beginning the day’s play at 322/6, Bangladesh took their first innings total to 388 before folding out. Mushfiqur Rahim went on to hit a brilliant century which propelled the visitors over the 350 mark.

Despite having a lead of 299 runs, India came out to bat for the 2nd time in the match and looked to score briskly from the outset. Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli scored at a rapid pace as India declared their 2nd essay on 159/4 in 29 overs. The visitors were jolted early with the fall of Tamim Iqbal’s. Two more wickets fell before the end of the day’s play as Bangladesh finished Day 3 at 103/3 with Shakib-al-Hasan and Mahmudullah in the crease. They have to bat out of their skins to harbour hopes of saving the Test match.

That said, here we have a look at 5 Talking Points from the 4th day’s play

1. Mushfiqur Rahim revives Bangladesh with a wonderful century

Beginning the day’s play at 322/6, Bangladesh lost Mehedi Hasan very early on in the day. Rahim who was batting overnight on 81 carried on from where he left on the 3rd day and looked to play sensibly. Rahim kept rotating the strike along and took the occasional risks in between. The wicket-keeper batsman struck a big six of Ishant Sharma in the 115th over and struck a boundary of Umesh Yadav two overs later to reach his 5th Test century and his first against India.

Rahim wasn’t finished yet despite losing partners at the other end. He stepped out to smash Ashwin for a six and a four in the 120th over and added few more before eventually falling to Ashwin in the 128th over. His innings of 127 contained 16 fours and 2 hits over the fence.

Watch: Indian skipper gets one spot on

2. Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli’s brisk partnership

Coming out to bat with a massive lead of 299 runs, India lost two early wickets in the form of Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay but it didn’t deter Pujara and Kohli from taking the attacking approach and score some brisk runs. Their 67 runs partnership for the 4th wickets came only in 10 overs with both looking in ominous touch.

Kohli’s quickfire innings was just a sheer proof of his tremendous adaptability to any condition. While the captain was dismissed playing an uppish shot at his personal score of 38, Pujara remained unbeaten on 54. While Kohli struck a couple of boundaries and a six during his 38, Pujara’s 58 balls 54 contained 6 fours and a solitary six.

3. Taskin Ahmed removes openers early in 2nd essay

After taking a lead of 299 runs, India came out to bat with the prospect of scoring quick runs and making Bangladesh bat at their earliest. It also gave a chance to the Bangladesh bowlers to get wickets early on as they knew India would employ a positive approach from the word go. Taskin got his first breakthrough in the form of Murali Vijay’s wicket in the final delivery of 4th over. It was a short of length delivery and was there to cut. He went for the cut but only managed to top-edged it straight to Mushfiqur Rahim behind the stumps.

His 2nd wicket came in the 4th delivery of the 6th over as he induced a false shot from KL Rahul with yet another wide outside the off stump delivery. Rahul was lured into the shot and gave an easy catch to Mushfiqur Rahim.

4. Virat Kohli’s’ wonderful review

After setting Bangladesh an improbable victory target of 459, Virat Kohli’s main aim was to get early breakthroughs and put Bangladesh on the back foot and his bowlers didn’t disappoint him. Kohli took a terrific review in the 1st innings to send back Soumya Sarkar and today it was the turn of Sarkar’s opening partner Tamim Iqbal to fell prey to Kohli’s brilliance.

In the 2nd delivery of the 6th over, Ashwin trapped Tamim Iqbal right in front of the stump. Though the bowler and the keeper initially appealed for the leg-before call, Kohli stationed in the slip cordons completed an easy catch. He felt the ball had taken Iqbal’s outside edge and replays suggested he was bang on. It was a big breakthrough for India and the credit should go to Kohli for reviewing it.

5. Ravichandran Ashwin becomes the fastest to reach 250 Test wickets

Ravi Ashwin today became the fastest bowler in the history of Test cricket to reach 250 wickets when he dismissed Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim in the 1st innings. It was a carrom ball down the leg side and Rahim got a faint tickle which was safely pouched by Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps. The right-arm offie broke the 32 years old record held by Aussie great Dennis Lillee.

After a mediocre bowling performance in the 1st innings, Ashwin made his mark in the 2nd essay and removed two top order batsmen to push the visitors on the back foot going into the final day. His two wickets included the prized scalp of Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque. While Tamim was caught at slips by Kohli when he inside edged an off-break from Ashwin, Mominul Haque was lured into the drive by a fuller length delivery from Ashwin and Rahane completed a sensational one-handed catch at 1st slip.