The wicket of Virat Kohli is on every bowler's wishlist, but such is not the case for Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam who does not see it as much of a feat. The left-arm spinner who packed Kohli with an LBW for one run on Day 1 of the Chattogram Test stated that while the former India captain is always a crucial player to get early, it is still not a career-defining moment for him. However, it is not Kohli's wicket he found more rewarding but Pujara's that he treasured the most.
"I have picked up the wicket of Virat earlier in my career so doesn't need to be the highlight of my career. I think the line and length was good and perhaps he missed on quite a few occasions but I felt that the ball (which removed Pujara) turned quite sharply. He felt it will be straight but as it turned it hit the stump," Taijul said at the post-match press conference Day 1’s play.
The 30-year-old left-arm spinner put India in a spot of bother at 48/3 before a partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant helped them recover. India ended the day at 293/6 after bouncing back from the early jolts they suffered which later got stretched to 404 on Day 2. Bangladesh were made to pay as they dropped catches of both Pujara and Iyer on 12 and 30 respectively.
Iyer was lucky as he received a lifeline when the ball hit the stumps but the bails did not get dislodged but lost his wicket to a ripper delivery which crashed into his off stump 86 by Ebadot Hossain.
India have gone with three spinners - R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, out of which Yadav and Ashwin since the wicket of Iyer gave a good account of themselves with the bat as they added a 50-plus stand. The duo of Yadav and Ashwin scored 40 and 58 respectively to help India post a good total on the board.
Taijul finished with four wickets from 46 overs he bowled including 10 maiden overs. He conceded 133 runs.
