Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin set a unique example of grit and determination in odd conditions as they stitched an unbroken 71-run eighth-wicket partnership to guide India to a thrilling three-wicket win in the second and final Test cricket match against Bangladesh here on Sunday. Chasing a target of 145, India started the morning at 45 for four but lost three quick wickets to be reduced to 74 for seven.
Iyer (29 not out off 46 balls) and Ashwin (42 not out off 66 balls) took over from here and shared a 71-run partnership off 105 balls and snatched victory from the jaws of Bangladesh and took India to the target before lunch on the fourth day. . Bangladesh off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraj (5/63) took a five-wicket haul in the innings but it was not enough. India thus also consolidated their position in the World Test Championship (WTC) by sweeping the two-match series 2–0.
India won the first Test match played in Chittagong by 188 runs. Bangladesh’s spinners dominated soon after the start of play on Sunday. India lost the wicket of Jaydev Unadkat (13) in the second over of the day itself. Unadkat hit Miraj for a six but was immediately lbw out by Shakib Al Hasan. Unadkat resorted to DRS but by doing so he wasted only one review. Rishabh Pant adopted a counter-attacking strategy to put pressure on the bowlers.
The left-handed batsman, who scored 93 in the first innings, was soon dismissed leg before by Miraj. Pant was able to score only nine runs. Miraj took his fifth wicket in the form of Akshar Patel (34). His straight ball hit the pads of Patel and went into the wickets, leaving India at 74 for seven. In such a situation, the danger of India’s first defeat in Test cricket at the hands of Bangladesh was looming but Ashwin and Iyer batted with determination. Both of them preferred to save the first wicket.
Iyer accelerated the scoreboard in the 41st over by hitting Shakib for two consecutive fours. Iyer hit a beautiful boundary in the cover region in Miraj’s next over. Bangladesh also launched a fast attack to break the partnership but its strategy did not work either. Ashwin was given life by Mominul Haque on a personal total of one run and he took full advantage of it.
Ashwin had made the target 26 runs for India by hitting two fours on Khalid Ahmed. Miraj was called to bowl from the other end but Ashwin hit him for a six and then two consecutive fours to give India the win. Despite this win, India will have to improve their game before the home series against Australia. The form of the top-order batsmen is a matter of concern. The exclusion of Kuldeep Yadav, who took eight wickets in the first Test cricket match, was also a matter of discussion.
