India handed Bangladesh another lesson in the endurance and mental fortitude that Test cricket is all about, dominating every session on day 3 of the ongoing Chattogram Test, as their opponents toiled with no answers. At stumps, the only question that remains unanswered is whether Bangladesh have the steel to take it to a fifth day, or whether they capitulate tomorrow itself.
Resuming today its first innings on 133/8, Bangladesh was quickly dismissed for just 150 – Kuldeep Yadav taking an impressive five wicket-haul. Not that Bangladesh’s batsmen put up any notable resistance against him, or anyone else.
Impressive as Yadav (5/40) was, Mohammad Siraj (3/20) was probably India’s best bowler, spearheading the attack and removing both openers plus Bangladesh’s best batter in Litton Das, leaving the others to mop up.
Read more: Chattogram Test: India take control after day 2
Despite the huge 254-run first-innings lead, India chose not to impose the follow-on, with the pitch on day 3 at its best for batting. And this time neither Cheteshwar Pujara nor Shubman Gill gave up the opportunity for hundreds, as India racked up 258/2 at over four runs per over before KL Rahul declared.
For Gill, the next great hope of Indian batting, it was a maiden Test century, while veteran Pujara crossed the milestone for the 19th time.
If there has to be one positive for Bangladesh, it would be that their openers managed to see out the short, 12-over burst the Indian bowlers came with, before stumps were drawn. The scoreboard read 42/0, with Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan set to resume their innings tomorrow on 25 and 17, respectively.
Read more: Indian tail wags to carry team past 400
Given their history, or just cricket history, it hardly makes the massive target India set for the hosts (513) worth mentioning. No team has ever chased down anything close to that many in the fourth innings of a Test. This Bangladesh team with its wretched batting certainly won’t be the first.
Anyway, Bangladesh’s highest fourth innings total is 413, that came against Sri Lanka in 2008, in a losing cause nonetheless. The most they have ever chased down in the 4th innings of a Test is 217. But that is all academic. The only real question is whether Bangladesh can survive day four.
Source: United News of Bangladesh