Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a bludgeoning half-century to steer India to a solid 138 for two in their first innings at tea on day four of the weather-hit second Test against Bangladesh, here Monday.
Jaiswal hammered a 52-ball 71 as India scored at over eight runs an over, and now trail the visitors by 95 runs. Earlier, Bangladesh were bundled out for 233 in their first innings, built around Mominul Haque’s patient hundred. The sun shone bright in the Kanpur sky after two gloomy days and the on-field action finally began after losing eight sessions. Except for Mominul, none of the Bangladeshi batters applied themselves on a placid pitch that did not offer much to the Indian bowlers.
Showing urgency to surpass Bangladesh total and probably push for a victory in the limited time available, India came out batting in the T20 mode. Jaiswal hit three boundaries in the opening over to stun pacer Hasan Mahmud while Rohit began by clobbering two sixes off Khaled Ahmed, and one landed on the stadium roof.
The onslaught surprised the rival attack but the home fans were rewarded for flocking the stadium in the last two days despite rain. Going with a see-and-hit approach, India completed the fastest team fifty in three overs. Realising the ineffectiveness of his pacers, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto introduced spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and he responded to the SOS call, castling Rohit.
Jaiswal completed his fifty with a single off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and went on in his aggressive fashion. His innings, which contained 12 fours and two sixes, was cut short by Mahmud.
The young opener added 72 runs for the second wicket with Shubhman Gill (38).
Gill (37) and Rishabh Pant (4) remained unseparated till the tea break.
Earlier, pacer Jasprit Bumrah (3/50) accounted for three batters, further establishing his brilliance, while his pace colleagues Mohammed Siraj (2/57) and Akash Deep (2/43) scalped two batters each.
Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2/45) got rid of legendary Shakib Al Hasan, probably playing his last Test. Ravindra Jadeja toiled hard to get his 300th Test wicket and succeeded when he caught and bowled Khaled. Jadeja also became the second quickest to complete the double of 300 wickets and 3000 runs in Test cricket behind England great Ian Botham.
Resuming at 107 for three, Bangladesh lost Mushfiqur Rahim (11) in the sixth over of the day when Bumrah bowled him with an angled delivery. It was an error of judgement from Rahim who left the ball, thinking it would go over the stumps but it stayed a bit low to disturb the off-stump. In the previous ball also, Rahim was troubled by an angled delivery that took the edge and zoomed to the boundary ropes.
New-man in Litton Das (13) began confidently, driving a length ball from Bumrah through the cover for a four and followed that up with another solid drive in the same region. Mominul stayed solid from his end and also survived an appeal off Mohammed Siraj. The southpaw was beaten, as the ball hit his thigh-pad and DRS showed the ball had not touched his glove before being taken by Jaiswal. In the next ball, Mominul completed his half-century by pulling a short one from Siraj to the square leg boundary.
Rohit, standing at mid-off, pulled a stunner from thin air when Das charged down the wicket to Siraj but stood in disbelief after his powerful hit was plucked by the Indian captain. In came Shakib (9), but he did not last long. He got his first boundary by working a full-length delivery from Siraj on the leg side.
He went after Ashwin but could not connect well as his one hand came off the bat. Siraj standing at mid-off backpaddled to take a stunning catch.
Also Read: https://thecapital.org.in/mominul-guides-bangladesh-to-205-6-at-lunch-on-day-four/