Fatullah: Following an uninterrupted morning session, heavy showers first stopped play twice in the post-lunch session and then completely washed out the final session of play as India ended the third day at 462/6 in their first innings of the lone cricket Test against Bangladesh here on Friday.
Just after lunch, heavy showers delayed play for about an hour after which India came out to bat. The visitors had only scored 25 runs when the skies opened up again. When play resumed, only 6.2 overs could be bowled further when rain struck the Dhaka suburb again, forcing the players back to the pavilion and umpires to call tea.
The players remained in the pavilion as rain did not stop, forcing the third session to be called off at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium. Overall, India scored 223 runs with the Bangladeshi spinners taking full advantage of the conditions to claim six scalps after having gone wicket-less on Day 1.
Keeping in mind the rain, the Indian batsmen went all out to score at more than a run-a-ball in the second session at the same time losing three wickets.
Opening batsman Murali Vijay perished immediately after getting to his 150 when he was adjudged leg-before off ace spinner Shakib Al Hasan (4/105). Wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha (6) also did not last long as he was bowled by 19-year-old leg-spinner Jubair Hossain (2/113).
Ajinkya Rahane (98) continued his charge and went for his shots, scoring boundaries around the ground, totalling 14 fours. However, Shakib struck again, bowling out the right-hander two runs short of what would have been his fourth Test century.
Ravichandran Ashwin (2 not out) and Harbhajan Singh (7 not out) were at the crease when the skies opened up again.
Earlier in the morning, the rain gods finally allowed play after heavy showers curtailed the match on the first day and completely washed out the second.
The first session of play was shared by the hosts and the visitors as Bangladesh finally managed to break the opening wicket partnership between Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan (173) and also bag two more vital wickets — that of ace batsman Rohit Sharma (6) and captain Virat Kohli (14).
At lunch time, Vijay and Rahane looked solid at the crease with India batting at 398/3.
India resumed the day at 239 for no loss and Dhawan, who had scored his third Test century on Wednesday, went about his business in usual fashion. The left-hander was aggressive from the start and attacked the Bangladeshi bowlers — spinners and pacers alike. Vijay also looked good as he brought up his sixth Test hundred.
While trying to accelerate, Dhawan went down the track but ace spinner Shakib read him and pitched to his foot. Dhawan top-edged and offered a catch to the bowler. The caught-and-bowled finally broke the first wicket partnership of 283 runs with Dhawan going back to the pavilion after scoring a brilliant 173 which included 23 boundaries.
Shakib was at it again as he clean bowled Rohit in his next over. The Indian batsman, who replaced regular No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara, totally wasted his opportunity by completely misjudging the delivery which pitched on off and straightened to rattle the off-stump.
Five overs later, skipper Kohli was also walking back to the pavilion as he played on a Hossain ball which rolled on to hit his stumps. Suddenly from 283 for no loss, India were 310/3. But, thereafter, Rahane and Vijay consolidated the innings, taking India close to 400.
(IANS)
