Unlike the first two days when the fans had plenty to cheer about...
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Unlike the first two days when the fans had plenty to cheer about as the Indian batsmen ran the Bangladesh attack ragged, Saturday was more about rallying the team for the 20,967 faithful who congregated in Uppal.
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HYDERABAD: There were pockets of resistance, but lack of application for prolonged periods has always been Bangladesh's undoing. There was no change in the trend as by luck and design, India tightened their vice-like grip on the one-off Test match. It is Bangladesh's 98th Test overall - in comparison Ishant Sharma is into his 74th. That there is no substitute for game time - and that Bangladesh lack big match temperament - was in full view at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Unlike the first two days when the fans had plenty to cheer about as the Indian batsmen ran the Bangladesh attack ragged, Saturday was more about rallying the team for the 20,967 faithful who congregated in Uppal.
Their expectation was not unfounded, though, as India had piled up a mountain of runs 687 for six declared -and started the day 646 runs ahead after having reduced Bangladesh to 41 for one. The visiting side finished at 322 for six and cut the deficit to 365 runs.
Like at the fag end of Friday, Umesh Yadav had a role in India's success in the third over of the day. Mominul Haque hesitated going for the second run with Tamim Iqbal and the Indian pacer's throw to Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the non-striker's end led to the dismissal of the Bangladesh opener without any addition to his overnight score.
The duo -Bhuvneshwar and Yadav - bowled good areas early in the day, the former putting 'shape' on the ball and the latter working up good pace -by Shakib Al Hasan's own admission, it was one of the best Test match bowling he's faced from Yadav. The Indians reviewed a LBW decision by umpire Joel Wilson off Bhuvneshwar against Mahmudullah before a change of ends worked for Yadav, who trapped Haque in front.
Ishant was not to be left behind, using the short delivery to good effect in between trapping Mahmudullah in front with the batsman playing down the wrong line of an in-swinging delivery - a Joel Wilson verdict that the batsman reviewed unsuccessfully. That set the stage for the most experienced Bangladesh pair of Shakib (82; 153min, 103b, 14x4) and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (batting 81; 273m, 206b, 12x4).
Their stomach for battle was apparent, but despite having realized 2124 runs in 47 innings including this one for Bangladesh, running between the wickets was a problem the duo did well to overcome during their fourth 100-run partnership.
The hosts unsuccessfully reviewed the decision of Marais Erasmus against Shakib off Ashwin, who came into action in the 24th over of the day and tasted success only in the 63rd over. Shakib looked in good touch, was barely troubled by the Indian bowlers, used his feet to counter spin and cashed in on boundary balls.
But the Indian offie is too canny a customer not to know that patience is a virtue on these surfaces. The 107-run fifth wicket partnership in 27.3 overs between Shakib and Rahim looked good for many more when the former threw it all away like in their previous Test in New Zealand. Giving Ashwin the charge and playing the shot without quite being there is fraught with danger and Yadav at mid-on pouched the offering.
The Bangladesh skipper played an obdurate knock as the visiting side added 121 runs in 31 overs for the loss of two wickets between lunch and tea after Sabbir Rahman was trapped in front by Ravindra Jadeja. He found an able ally in
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