India want a ton badly today

Chasing a target of 145, KL Rahul & Co lose four early wickets for 37 runs, leaving the promoted Axar Patel and nightwatchman Jaydev Unadkat to help India get 100 more for series win over Bangladesh in Mirpur

Bangladesh spinners, led by their talismanic skipper Shakib Al Hasan and young Mehidy Hasan Miraz, forced Indian batters to press the panic button in a tricky chase of 145 as the visitors ended an engaging third day’s play, tottering at 45 for 4 in the second Test here on Saturday.

“I feel that we shouldn’t think too much now because we have lost just four wickets. We need around 80 [100] or so. We need just one batter to get set, Axar Patel is showing the right intent at the crease,” Mohammed Siraj said after the day’s play.

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At stumps, Axar Patel (26) and Jaydev Unadkat (3) were at the crease with India still needing another 100 runs.

Umpire Sharfuddoula calms  down India’s Virat Kohli, who appears to be put off by the thrilled Bangladeshi fielders. Pic/AFP

“Yes, we lost two wickets extra but Axar is set. We also have Rishabh [Pant] and Shreyas [Iyer] after that, so we shouldn’t think too much.”

Having dominated for the better part of two and half days, Bangladesh’s lower middle-order, led by Litton Das (73) and supported by Nurul Hasan Sohan (31) and Taskin Ahmed (31), counter-attacked to take their second innings score to 231, giving their bowlers something to defend.

Horrendous game for Rahul

KL Rahul (2), who had a horrendous game as a skipper as well as batter, would like to forget this game in a hurry while the stodgy Cheteshwar Pujara (6) suffered his downfall because of his anxiousness to negate any turn on offer.  Shubman Gill (7) had his worse day on the tour, increasing India’s worry. In case of Rahul, he tentatively poked a Shakib delivery that turned enough to kiss the outside edge of his bat into the keeper Nurul Hasan’s gloves. 

Pujara, for the second time, came out to play the delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3-12) before it could turn. The ball hit his bat and pad before Nurul effected a stumping.

Also read: India vs Bangladesh: Taijul Islam reduces India to 86/3 at lunch on day 2

However, the pitch was showing its true colours and there was turn and bounce with the ball skidding occasionally as well as keeping low, making batting that much more difficult.

In fact, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid, with his tactic of sending night watchman Axar Patel (26 batting) with more than 15 overs left, made it clear that there was a certain sense of nervousness as to what happens if Virat Kohli (1) would get dismissed in the third evening itself. While Gill was stumped 
off a doosra, becoming Miraz’s second victim, Kohli had no choice but to come out late in the evening.

Kohli fooled in flight

Miraz bowled a lovely flighted delivery drawing Kohli forward and got a classical bat-pad dismissal for Mominul Haque standing at forward short-leg.
At stumps, Axar and night watchman Jaydev Unadkat (3 batting) were at the crease.

Brief scores
Bangladesh 227 and 231 (L Das 73, Z Hasan 51; A Patel 3-68, M Siraj 2-41) v India 45-4 (A Patel 26; M Hasan 3-12)

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