On the back of counter-attacking half-centuries from wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and in-form middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, Team India ended Day 2 of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka with a slight advantage. At stumps on Day 2, Bangladesh were 7/0, trailing India by 80 runs with Zakir Hasan (2 not out off 11 balls) and Najmul Hossain Shanto (5 unbeaten off 25 balls) helping the hosts keep all 10 wickets intact.
The day belonged to Pant and Iyer as the duo stitched a fantastic 159-run stand for the fifth wicket and bailed India out of a precarious situation. The two Indian batters joined forces when the visitors were tottering at 94/4 and their partnership helped the team post a first innings total of 314 and take a lead of 87 runs.
Pant and Iyer played counter-attacking cricket to put India in the ascendancy. The hard-hitting left-handed batter and stylish right-handed willow-wielder turned the tables on Bangladesh in double quick time.
Both batters missed out on a well-deserved century as Pant departed after scoring 93 runs off 105 balls with the help of seven fours and five sixes and Iyer walked back to the pavilion after scoring 87 runs off 105 balls. The right-handed batter smashed 10 fours and two sixes in his attractive knock.
Once Mehidy Hasan Miraz dismissed Pant, the Indian innings folded soon after with Ravichandran Ashwin (12), Jayden Unadkat (14) and Umesh Yadav (14) chipping in with a few handy runs.
For Bangladesh, Taijul Islam and captain Shakib Al Hasan bagged four wickets each. Taskin Ahmed and Mehidy Hasan bagged a wicket each as well.
Earlier, India endured a poor start to Day 2 as the visitors ended the first session with a score of 86/3 on the board, trailing Bangladesh by 141 runs with Kohli (18 not out off 65) balls) and Pant (12 not out off 14 balls) holding India's fort. The visitors began Day 2 at 19/0 with captain KL Rahul and Shubman Gill at the crease. The duo could only add eight more runs to the overnight score before Rahul (10 runs off 45 balls) was trapped in front of the sticks by left-arm spinner Taijul. Gill (20 runs off 39 balls) failed to convert his start into a substantial score and handed Taijul his second scalp of the morning. Cheteshwar Pujara (24 runs off 55 balls) became the eighth Indian batter to score 7,000 runs in Test cricket before Bangladesh's left-arm spinner sent the Indian veteran back to the pavilion.
Kohli was dismissed by Taskin soon after lunch for 24 runs and India had their back against the wall. Pant and Iyer then combined for a fantastic unbeaten 100+ partnership and took India's total to 226/4 at Tea on Day 2.
