Dhaka, Dec 22 Bangladesh batter Mominul Haque broke his run of nine consecutive single-digit scores with a stroke-filled 65 not out. But India continued to strike, taking important scalps as Bangladesh reached 184/5 at tea on day one of the second Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
It was a session in which the batters like Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das got starts. But neither of them couldn’t last long for a big score, as India made strikes at regular intervals, with Jaydev Unadkat looking impressive in just his second Test with his accuracy and ability to challenge Bangladesh batters with seam and extra bounce.
India had success straightaway after lunch as Shakib looked to clear Umesh Yadav over mid-off, but gave a simple catch to the fielder. They were able to keep Mominul and Rahim quiet though the duo got a boundary each.
The floodgates opened for Bangladesh when Rahim smacked Ashwin for a hat-trick of boundaries through cover, mid-on and point. Mominul joined the fun by flicking Jaydev Unadkat twice through mid-wicket for successive boundaries.
Rahim greeted Axar Patel with a sweep through short fine-leg, before departing for 26 right after the drinks break. A ball from Unadkat that held its line from short of good length and got to come in with the angle, taking the edge on a forced poke behind to the keeper.
Mominul increased his risk-taking when he fiercely cut an Unadkat delivery over the slip cordon and got his fifty, two balls later with another slash through backward point. Das got going with a punch and pull off Siraj for four and six, before taking a boundary off Axar through a cut.
His promising stay ended when Ashwin deceived him on the flight and picked out short mid-wicket to perfection. Mehidy and Mominul got another boundary each while India burnt another review as the session came to a close.
Earlier, on his return to Test cricket after being absent for 12 years and two days, Unadkat claimed the wicket of Zakir Hasan while Ashwin dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto in the first session where India asked many questions, beat the edges constantly and got extra bounce too.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 184/5 in 57 overs (Mominul Haque 65 not out, Mushfiqur Rahim 26; Jaydev Unadkat 2-40, Ravichandran Ashwin 2-52) against India
–IANS
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