JOIN USTest meanders towards draw
The one-off Test between India and Bangladesh seems to be meandering towards a tame draw after incessant rain halted the visiting spinners, who reduced the hosts to 111/3 in the only session of play that was possible on the fourth day here.
Only 30.1 overs could be squeezed in the opening session when bad light stopped play with Imrul Kayes (59 batting) and Shakib Al Hasan (0 batting) at the crease.
Earlier, India declared their first innings on the overnight total of 462/6. Bangladesh still trail by 351 runs but look set to sneak away with a draw thanks to weather gods.
With more than 200 overs lost due to frequent rain interruptions in the previous three days, the Virat Kohli-led visitors came out all guns blazing and picked up the first opposition wicket quite early only to see a bit of resistance from the second-wicket batting pair.
Facing the pace-spin combination of Ishant Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/30), opener Tamim Iqbal (19) became Bangladesh’s highest Test run-getter but soon fell to the guile of the wily off-spinner.
Surpassing former batsman Habibul Bashar (3026 in 50 Tests) to manage 3039 runs in 40 matches, Tamim was stumped while trying to counter Ashwin’s spin. The left-hander’s toe was on the line and the third umpire pushed the red button to send him back to the pavillion.
Mominul (30) joined Kayes (59 not out) at the crease and the duo steadied the Bangladeshi batting with an 81-run stand.
Kayes though was dropped on 10 when Shikhar Dhawan failed to latch on to the flying cherry on his left side as a dejected Umesh Yadav looked on.
Even a brief rain interruption in the 13th over did not spoil the concentration of the left-handed duo as Virat Kohli continued to juggle his regular bowling options.
But the introduction of comeback-man Harbhajan Singh (1/23) changed things for the visitors as the veteran delivered in his sixth over to send Mominul packing.
Jumping out of his crease to the veteran off-spinner, Mominul attempted a big shot but ended up skying the ball as Yadav took it safely at mid-off.
With spin from both ends, Ashwin struck once again and sent skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (2) back in the pavilion.
The right-hander came down to defend a flighted delivery by the off-spinner but ended up giving a simple catch to Rohit Sharma at leg-slip.
Shakib Al Hasan (0 not out) joined Kayes at the crease only to see dark clouds force another weather interruption as early lunch was called.
But soon the heavens opened up and even when the rain stopped in between, umpire inspections could not restart play due to the wet ground conditions.
Earlier electing to bat, India rode on two big centuries from Dhawan (173) and Murali Vijay (150) to post a challenging score in a game that has seen countless rain interruptions and Day 2 being washed off completely.
Ajinkya Rahane also played a signicant knock of 98 with Bangladesh spinners also making their presence felt in the innings.
Shakib (4/105), with his left-arm spin, and leg-spinner Jubair Hossain (2/113) shared six wickets between them.
score board
INDIA (I Innings; O/n: 462/6): 462/6 decl
BANGLADESH (I Innings):
Tamim st Saha b Ashwin 19
Kayes (batting) 59
Mominul c Yadav b Harbhajan 30
Mushfiqur c R Sharma b Ashwin 2
Shakib (batting) 0
Extras (NB-1) 1
Total (for 3 wkts, 30.1 overs) 111
Fall of wickets: 1-27 , 2-108, 3-110.
Bowling: Ishant 4-0-13-0, Ashwin 11.1-2-30-2, Yadav 4-0-34-0, Aaron 4-0-11-0, Harbhajan 7-0-23-1.