India’s strong comeback from Pujara and Iyer’s half-century innings
Half-centuries from Test specialists Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer and a 149-run fifth-wicket partnership between the two helped India post 278 for six on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh. Pujara failed to read a brilliant delivery from left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (3/84) and once again fell short of his century. He scored 90 runs in a restrained 203-ball innings, while Iyer got luck many times in his 169-ball innings so far. He is standing at the crease after scoring 82 runs.
Pujara added 64 runs for the fourth wicket with Rishabh Pant before sharing a 149-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Iyer. While Pujara hit 11 fours in his innings, Iyer took the ball across the boundary line 10 times. The credit for India’s comeback in the match, however, goes to Pant, who hit six fours and two sixes in an aggressive 45-ball innings to dismiss skipper Rahul (22), Shubman Gill (20) and Virat Kohli (one) cheaply. While other batsmen were struggling to score runs in the match, seeing Pant’s batting, he felt that he was playing in another pitch.
Mehdi Hasan Miraj (2/71) trapped Axar Patel (14) leg before on the last ball of the day. Taijul, however, impressed the most with his spin bowling. He bowled 30 overs a day and got the big batsmen like Gill, Kohli and Pujara going. Kohli was lbw by Taijul on a very beautiful ball. On this ball of ‘full length’, Kohli decided to stay on the backfoot but the ball took a turn and went to his back pad. India also took a review against the umpire’s decision but the decision was in favor of the bowler. Iyer got the full support of luck.
Ibadat Hossain’s ball hit the stumps but he survived as the bails did not fall down. Bangladesh’s wicketkeeper and fielders dropped his catches three times. The opening session of the day was in the name of Bangladesh, while the Indian batsmen showed their brilliance in the remaining two sessions. Both the teams have gone with two fast bowlers and three spinners on a spin-friendly wicket. The Indian team, captained by KL Rahul, won the toss and decided to bat but lost early wickets early.
Bangladesh handed the ball to the spinner in the sixth over and Rahul welcomed Shakib Al Hasan with a four. Gill hit Ibadat for fours in the next over. India had scored 30 runs in seven overs without any loss. After this, however, the Bangladeshi bowlers did not allow the Indians to play freely. Gill lost his wicket to a bad sweep shot while Rahul played an irresponsible shot. After losing three wickets in the 20th over of the innings, Pant put pressure on Taijul, who was bowling brilliantly, by hitting two fours and a six. After this, he also welcomed off-spinner Mehdi with a four.
Pujara got a reprieve early in the second session when he was dropped by Nurul Hasan off Ibadatki. Pant, however, was scoring fast from the other end. He kept the pressure on the Bangladesh bowlers by hitting fours against Mehdi and Ibadat. The wicket-keeper batsman hit a six against Mehdi in the 32nd over of the innings but was bowled on the next ball. The ball hit the bottom of his bat and went on to the stumps. Pujara then hit fours against Ibadat and Khalid. At the other end, Iyer looked a bit nervous at the start of the innings but gained confidence by hitting three fours in different overs against Mehdi.
