1st Test: How Virat Kohli's bowlers crushed 'brave' Bangladesh

Mohammed Shami

Indore: It was a dicey toss to win for Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque in the first Test against India on Thursday, as, while the wicket at the Holkar Stadium wore a look that would have had the Indian seamers waiting to get the red cherry in their hands, the nature of pitches in the country too are such that batting last can be a challenge against the spinners. Haque decided to go with the conventional approach of batting first, and that saw the Indian bowlers rule the roost.

Shami grabbed a team hat-trick, while Cheteshwar Pujara struck a fluent unbeaten 43 to help India first bundle out Bangladesh for 150 and then put up 86-1 on the board, at stumps on Day One of the first Test here on Thursday. India, who dominated proceedings on the first day, trail by just 64 runs with nine wickets in hand. Pujara, who is known to take his time at the crease, played aggressively and got to 43 from 61 balls with the help of seven elegant boundaries.

At the other end, Mayank Agarwal - dropped on 32 by Imrul Kayes off Abu Jyaed, remained unbeaten on 37 from 81 deliveries (4x6). The pair joined hands for an unbroken 72-run stand for the first wicket after Jayed had Rohit Sharma (6) caught behind by Liton Das. Earlier, Shami returned with figures of 3-27 with Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin all taking two wickets each.

Speaking at the end of the day's play, ace spinner Ashwin said that the Indian pacers have been bowling really well in recent times and it looks like something is going happen everytime they have the ball in their hands. In fact, the first session was completely dominated by the trio of Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.

"They have been in some great rhythm...Sometimes you feel something's happening in every spell they are bowling or at least they make it happen. Shami, Umesh and Ishant have been bowling well as a pack. Add Bumrah to it, and it becomes one of the most lethal pace bowling attacks in the world," he said.

Ashwin also felt that it was indeed a brave decision for Haque to bat first as the Indians were expecting the visitors to bowl since the surface had life in it.

Ashwin all for having permanent Test centres

Indore: Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday backed skipper Virat Kohli, who feels there should be five permanent Test centres in the country. "Every other Test-playing nation generally has a certain pattern of playing Test cricket. The understanding of a particular venue and keeping it that way will help the players. Whether or not that's the right thing to do is something the decision makers will have to take," said Ashwin.

Brief scores
Bangladesh 150 (M Rahim 43, M Haque 37; M Shami 3-27, I Sharma 2-20, R Ashwin 2-43, U Yadav 2-47) v India 86-1 (C Pujara 43', M Agarwal 37'; A Jayed 1-21)

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