Speed thrills

Indore, November 14

India’s pace troika was at its menacing best against an under-confident Bangladesh, helping the home team seize control of the first Test here on the opening day. On one of the bounciest Indian tracks in recent times, Bangladesh were bundled out for 150 in 58.3 overs, lasting a little over two sessions. With ample time at their disposal, India ended the day at 86/1 in 26 overs, losing Rohit Sharma’s (6) wicket to Abu Jayed. The notable aspect of the Indian innings was Cheteshwar Pujara (46*) outscoring the more flamboyant Mayank Agarwal (37*) during their unbroken 72-run stand.

The day’s play starkly highlighted the gulf between the world’s No. 1 and No. 9 Test teams. Umesh Yadav (2/47), Ishant Sharma (2/20) and Mohammed Shami (3/27) made life difficult for the visitors, whose batsmen lacked both in technique and temperament. A luckless Ravichandran Ashwin (2/43), let down by Ajinkya Rahane in the slips cordon, ended up with a couple of clean-bowled dismissals.

Torrid pace

The three Indian pacers consistently bowled at 140kmph, with seam, swing and bounce making life miserable for the batsmen. Each of the three displayed different qualities, as was evident from the manner of dismissals.

Ishant’s bowling was about disconcerting bounce from a length — that had opener Shadman Islam caught-behind — and the occasional fuller delivery holding its line, that forced Liton Das to edge one to Virat Kohli in the slips.

For Yadav, it started with brisk pace and getting the ball to seam into opener Imrul Kayes and making him expect more incoming deliveries; as Kayes was getting used to this pattern, Yadav produced away-going deliveries to the left-hander, who was squared up edged the ball to the slips.

Shami showed there is no one better when it comes to getting reverse swing with the 50-over-old SG brand ball. Top-scorer Mushfiqur Rahim led a charmed life and was dropped twice. But he didn’t have a clue when Shami swung one back to knock the stumps over after beating the batsman with away-going deliveries. The next one from Shami swung even more as Mehidy Hasan Miraj (0) was adjudged LBW. In the first session, Shami had dismissed Mohammed Mithun with conventional inswing.

Dropped 

Even without Jasprit Bumrah, who is nursing a stress fracture, the pace unit was quite formidable. They attacked relentlessly, and better slip catching would have left Bangladesh in deeper trouble. Yadav could have got Rahim early had Kohli latched on to one at third slip. Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad were later dropped by Rahane at first slip, off Ashwin.

It didn’t cost the team much but left Ashwin frustrated. He did get Mominul Haque (36) and Mahmudullah bowled. Haque thought he was dealing with a conventional off-break and decided to leave the delivery, but to his horror, the ball came in; Mahmudullah tried to sweep Ashwin from outside the off-stump and was bowled round the legs. — PTI

Scoreboard

Bangladesh 1st innings

S Islam c Saha b I Sharma 6

I Kayes c Rahane b Yadav 6

M Haque b Ashwin 37

M Mithun lbw b Shami 13

M Rahim b Shami 43

Mahmudullah b Ashwin 10

L Das c Kohli b I Sharma 21

M Hasan Miraz lbw b Shami 0

T Islam run out 1

A Jayed not out 7

E Hossain b Yadav 2

Extras: (lb 3, W 1) 4

Total: (All out, 58.3 overs) 150

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-12, 3-31, 4-99, 5-115, 6-140, 7-140, 8-140, 9-148

Bowling

Ishant Sharma 12-6-20-2

Umesh Yadav 14.3-3-47-2

Mohammed Shami 13-5-27-3

Ravichandran Ashwin 16-1-43-2

Ravindra Jadeja 3-0-10-0

India 1st innings

M Agarwal not out 37

R Sharma c Das b Jayed 6

C Pujara not out 43

Extras: 0

Total: (For 1 wicket, 26 overs) 86

Fall of wickets: 1-14

Bowling

Ebadat Hossain 11-2-32-0

Abu Jayed 8-0-21-1

Taijul Islam 7-0-33-0