Pink Ball Test: Brutal India attack Bangladesh at Eden Gardens

India skipper Virat Kohli drives en route his 136 on Day Two of the second Test against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Kolkata: Asked to get 241 runs to avoid another innings defeat, Bangladesh were in an uneasy 152 for six when stumps were drawn on the second day of the day-night Test at the Eden Gardens here on Saturday. Ishant Sharma, who had snared five wickets when the visitors folded up for a paltry 106 on Friday, added four more on another disappointing day for the 'Tigers'.

Mushfiqur Rahim, the team's most experienced batsman, will come back on Sunday to continue the fightback. He has spent almost two-and-a-half hours for his 59, the bulk of his runs coming through the 10 boundaries even as India closed in for the kill. Bangladesh requires another 89 to make India bat again.

Earlier, overnight 174 for three, India closed their innings at 347 for nine some 45 minutes before Saturday's tea break. The highlight was a classy 136 by Virat Kohli, the skipper making amends with his 27th Test century after missing out on the run-feast in Indore. Ajinkya Rahane, overnight 23, helped himself to his 21st fifty. The two added 99 runs for the fourth wicket.

Kohli spent close to five hours at the crease, presenting a 194-ball masterclass. Among his 18 boundaries were several delightful drives, none more breathtaking that those mere pushes that had the ball racing through covers.

He was particularly severe during Abu Jayed's 15th over, hitting fours consecutive boundaries. Bangladesh finally found luck with the second new ball, claimed as soon as it was due when Taijul Islam pulled off a brilliant catch at long-leg as Kohli clipped Jayed off his pads. The skipper's departure slowed things down for India, and the visitors made inroads with wickets at regular intervals towards the end.

Ishant struck in the first over of Bangladesh's second innings, trapping first-innings top-scorer Shadman Islam in front, and followed it up with the wicket of Mominul Haque in his next. Haque became the 23rd captain to come back from a Test with a pair of ducks.

Bangladesh, who have two concussion substitutions already, got another scare when Mohammad Mithun was hit on the helmet by Ishant shortly before the tea interval. The incident seemed to have planted doubt and desperation in Mithun. He needlessly pulled an Umesh Yadav bouncer in the very first over after the break to offer an easy catch to mid-wicket.

Opener Imrul Kayes edged Ishant to slips and it brought together the two most experienced batsmen. Surviving some anxious moments, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah managed to drag the team out of the hole (13-4) and steady the ship with a 79-run association before the latter left the field with a hamstring injury.

Mushfiqur added 51 with Mehdy Hasan, who edged Ishant to become his fourth victim. Taijul fell fending off a rising ball on his off stump to give Umesh his first wicket in the second innings and signal 'stumps'.

All Bangladeshi wickets so far have fallen to pacers but R Ashwin, who bowled five overs on Saturday, would have butted in had Hasan's nick not been floored in the slip. While Mushfiqur has kept the embers glowing, Bangladesh will be hoping Mahmudullah, who was on 39 when he retired hurt, too raises to the occasion.

Brief scores
Bangladesh 106 and 152-6 (M Rahim batting 59, Mahmudullah retired hurt 39; I Sharma 4-39) v India 347-9 decl (V Kohli 136; A Hossain 3-85)

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