Bangladesh put India on backfoot in first session of first Test

Bangladesh`s Taijul Islam (2R) celebrates after the dismissal of India`s Virat Kohli (not pictured) during the first day of the first cricket Test match between Bangladesh and India at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. Pic/AFP

India got themselves in a hole on a flat pitch to struggle to 85 for three at lunch on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh on Wednesday. With the surface more suited to spin, both teams went in with two pacers and three spinners. The K L Rahul-led India expectedly opted to bat but squandered the opportunity by allowing the Bangladesh bowlers to get on top of them.

Rishabh Pant (29 batting off 26) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12 batting off 32) were in the middle at the break. Skipper Rahul (22) himself, Shubman Gill (20) and Virat Kohli (1) were the batters to be dismissed. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam was the standout bowler for Bangladesh as he removed Gill and Kohli. The aggressive approach that Rahul spoke about ahead of the game was missing in the first session. Spin was introduced as early as the sixth over and Rahul greeted his counterpart Shakib Al Hasan with a cut shot through point region.

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Gill too showed intent with a cut and pull off pacer Ebadot Hossain in the following over as India reached 30 for no loss in seven overs. However, the boundaries dried up thereafter as Bangladesh bowlers stuck to stump to stump line and stifled the Indians. Gill perished to a poor shot, an avoidable sweep, while Rahul played away from his body off pacer Khaled Ahmed only to drag it back on to the stumps. Kohli fell to a beauty from Islam who got one to turn sharply from leg-stump to hit the back leg of the star Indian batter, trapping in front of the stumps. India went for a review which was unsuccessful.

The top-order batters could have used their feet more against the spinners but preferred to stay back in the crease. The much needed attacking approach was displayed once again by Rishabh Pant who put the pressure back on Islam by smashing him for a couple of fours and a six over wide long-on. Pant welcomed offie Mehidy Hasan Miraz with a square cut while Islam conceded two boundaries in the last over of the morning session.

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