India rode on ace wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav's historical five-wicket haul to bulldoze Bangladesh for a measly 150 on the onset of Day 3 of the first Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Friday (December 16).
Team India's skipper KL Rahul chose not to enforce a follow-on on the hosts. Kuldeep, who played his first Test in 22 months, relised his career-best figures of 5/40 as Shakib Al Hasan's men fell 255 runs short of follow-on after India posted a colossal 404 on the board in their first innings. India now take a huge first innings lead of 254 runs.
Kicking off the Day 3 at 133/8, Ebadot Hossain's (17) 37-ball vigil ended as a faint tickle down the leg-side was smartly snapped by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (25 off 82 balls) defended doggedly before becoming Axar Patel's only victim of the innings. A poor show from the top-order let Bangladesh down. A lot of credit should also go to Mohammed Siraj (3/20) for his sharp spells on the second day.
With a lot of deliveries starting to keep low in the second Indian innings, the spin troika of Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep and Axar Patel will be eager to come out on fourth and fifth day to ensure full 12 World Test Championship points for the team.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan introduced fellow slow left-arm orthodox Taijul Islam in the very second over of the Indian second innings with pacer Ebadot Hossain complaining of back pain.
Being a bowler short will also badly hurt Bangladesh's plans, if Ebadot is unable to bowl further in the contest.
While Gill stepped out once and also survived an on-field leg-before decision courtesy DRS, Rahul was solid in his defence at the other end as he hardly attacked the bowling save one cover driven four in Khaled Ahmed's opening over and a drive through point off Mehidy Hasan Miraz.
At the start of the day, Kuldeep completed his third five-wicket haul when Ebadot (17)'s 37-ball vigil ended when his faint tickle down the leg-side was smartly snapped by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
It was Mehidy (25 batting), who fought doggedly and played the maximum number of balls (82) but had little support at other end before he became Axar Patel's only victim of the innings
With PTI inputs..
