Gill, Pujara put India on path to defeat Bangladesh
CHITTAGONG: Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara smashed hundreds against a listless Bangladesh attack to put India on course for a comprehensive victory in the opening Test in Chittagong on Friday.
India, having claimed a substantial first innings lead of 254, spared Bangladesh the ignominy of a follow on, but it only meant more misery for the home bowlers.
Gill smashed his maiden Test century and Pujara his 19th before India declared their second innings on 258-2, setting Bangladesh an improbable victory target of 513.
The hosts finished day three on 42 for no loss, still needing 471 to pull off what would be a record chase.
Bangladesh openers Najmul Hossain (25) and Zakir Hasan (17) survived 12 overs without being separated but India look primed for a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Earlier resuming on 133-8, Bangladesh were bundled out for 150 with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav finishing with figures of 5-40.
By the time India came out to bat, Bangladesh attack had already lost some teeth with skipper Shakib Al Hasan (shoulder) and seamer Ebadot Hossain (back) unable to bowl with injuries suffered during the match.
Gill raised 70 runs with India’s stand-in skipper KL Rahul, who is leading India in the absence of the injured Rohit Sharma.
Rahul could not convert the start and fell for 23 pulling Khaled Ahmed to Taijul Islam at fine leg.
Gill and Pujara cemented India’s position with a 113-run stand.
Gill reverse-swept Mehidy for a four to reach 99 and brought up his hundred with another boundary off the spinner.
The 23-year-old decided to up the ante but holed out after scoring 110, which included three sixes and 10 fours.
Even the usually dour Pujara frequently stepped out against the spinners to play one lofty shot after another.
The number three batsman, who fell for 90 in the first innings, needed 130 balls to bring up his fastest Test hundred and India declared immediately.
Scoreboard
INDIA (first Innings) 404 (C. Pujara 90, S. Iyer 86, R. Ashwin 58; Mehidy 4-112, Taijul 4-133)
BANGLADESH (first Innings, overnight 133-8):
Najmul Hossain c Pant b Siraj 0
Zakir Hasan c Pant b Siraj 20
Yasir Ali b Umesh 4
Liton Das b Siraj 24
Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Kuldeep 28
Shakib Al Hasan c Kohli b Kuldeep 3
Nurul Hasan c Gill b Kuldeep 16
Mehidy Hasan st Pant b Patel 25
Taijul Islam b Kuldeep 0
Ebadot Hossain c Pant b Kuldeep 17
Khaled Ahmed not out 0
EXTRAS (B-6, LB-7) 13
TOTAL (all out; 55.5 overs) 150
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (Najmul), 2-5 (Yasir), 3-39 (Liton), 4-56 (Zakir), 5-75 (Shakib), 6-97 (Nurul), 7-102 (Mushfiqur), 8-102 (Taijul), 9-144 (Ebadot)
BOWLING: Siraj 13-2-20-3, Umesh 8-1-33-1, Ashwin 10-1-34-0, Kuldeep 16-6-40-5, Patel 8.5-4-10-1
INDIA (2nd Innings):
K.L. Rahul c Taijul b Khaled 23
Shubman Gill c (sub) b Mehidy 110
Cheteshwar Pujara not out 102
Virat Kohli not out 19
EXTRAS (LB-1, NB-3) 4
TOTAL (for two wickets; 61.4 overs) 258
DID NOT BAT: S. Iyer, R. Pant, A. Patel, R. Ashwin, K. Yadav, U. Yadav, M. Siraj
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-70 (Rahul), 2-183 (Gill)
BOWLING: Khaled 13-0-51-1(3nb), Taijul 23.4-3-71-0, Mehidy 14-1-82-1, Yasir 6-0-28-0, Liton Das 2-0-13-0, Najmul 3-0-12-0
BANGLADESH (2nd Innings):
Najmul Hossain not out 25
Zakir Hasan not out 17
EXTRAS 0
TOTAL (for no wicket; 12 overs) 42
STILL TO BAT: Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain
BOWLING: Siraj 3-0-11-0, Umesh 1-1-0-0, Ashwin 5-1-23-0, Axar 2-0-4-0, Kuldeep 1-0-4-0
Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2022