India: India’s fast bowlers made the ball talk on a helpful track, reducing Bangladesh to 63 for three in 26 overs at lunch on day one of the first Test here Thursday.
The trio of Umesh Yadav (10-4-26-1), Ishant Sharma (7-4-12-1) and Mohammed Shami (5-1-12-1) made life difficult for the visiting team batsmen after skipper Virat Kohli opted to bowl considering the greenish tinge on the 22-yard surface.
At the break, skipper Mominul Haque (22 batting, 56 balls) and the seasoned Mushfiqur Rahim (14 batting, 22 balls) were at the crease, having added 32 runs for the fourth wicket.
The pace unit, which has been on the top of its game over the last 24 months, bowled a probing line during the first spell and the disconcerting extra bounce made life difficult for the Bangladeshi batsmen.
Comeback man Imrul Kayes (6, 18 balls) looked troubled from the start as Umesh kept troubling him with deliveries that came back sharply after pitching, literally cutting the left-hander into half.
However Umesh was having some problems in his follow through as he was stepping into the danger area. In order to avoid getting a warning, he started coming wide off the crease and created the angle where it beat the edge after pitching.
He bowled one fast and full as Kayes was squared up, giving a regulation catch to Ajinkya Rahane at third slip.
Ishant on the other hand was using his height to create an awkward bounce from the length and got young Shadman Islam (6, 24 balls) to edge one to Wriddhiman Saha, who easily caught it with a ‘reverse cup’.
At 12 for 2, Mohammed Mithun (12) joined his skipper. The duo batted for 11 overs, close to an hour but only 19 runs were scored which certainly increased the pressure on Bangladesh.
However Mithun, who had survived one DRS on umpires’ call off Umesh’s bowling, wasn’t lucky the second time when Shami came in as one change. He bowled one full that tailed in and caught the right-hander plumb in-front making it 31 for 3.
It could well have been four down but Mushfiqur survived when a thickish outside edge off Umesh’s bowling flew towards a diving Kohli’s right but the ball popped out of his hands.
PTI
