Ind vs Ban 1st Test | India 36/0 in 2nd innings at lunch on Day 3

India’s Kuldeep Yadav, center, celebrates the wicket of Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam during the first Test cricket match day third between Bangladesh and India in Chattogram Bangladesh, on Dec. 16, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AP

Skipper KL Rahul and young Shubman Gill were cautious in their approach as India reached 36 for no loss in their second innings at lunch after Kuldeep Yadav’s third five-wicket haul helped them dismiss Bangladesh for a paltry 150 on the third day of the opening Test here on Friday.

Rahul (20 batting) and Gill (15 batting) didn’t take any undue risks as India’s overall lead swelled to 290 after the Indian captain decided against enforcing the follow-on on the hosts.

Playing his first Test match in 22 months, Kuldeep registered career-best figures of five for 40 as Bangladesh could survive only 55.5 overs in their first innings.

Pacer Mohammed Siraj (3/20 in 13 overs) deserved equal credit for his incisive spells on second afternoon and evening.

With a lot of deliveries starting to keep low in the second Indian innings, the spin troika of Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep and Axar Patel will be eager to come out on fourth and fifth day to ensure full 12 World Test Championship points for the team.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan introduced fellow slow left-arm orthodox Taijul Islam in the very second over of the Indian second innings with pacer Ebadot Hossain complaining of back pain.

Being a bowler short will also badly hurt Bangladesh’s plans, if Ebadot is unable to bowl further in the contest.

While Gill stepped out once and also survived an on-field leg-before decision courtesy DRS, Rahul was solid in his defence at the other end as he hardly attacked the bowling save one cover driven four in Khaled Ahmed’s opening over and a drive through point off Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

At the start of the day, Kuldeep completed his third five-wicket haul when Ebadot (17)‘s 37-ball vigil ended when his faint tickle down the leg-side was smartly snapped by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

It was Mehidy (25 batting), who fought doggedly and played the maximum number of balls (82) but had little support at other end before he became Axar Patel’s only victim of the innings.

Brief Scores

India: 404 all out in 133.5 overs and 36 for no loss in 15 overs (Kl Rahul 20 not out, Shubman Gill 15 not out)

Bangladesh 1st innings: 150 all out in 55.5 overs (M Rahim 28, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 25, Kuldeep Yadav 5/40). 

The second and final Test is scheduled will be played in Mirpur from December 22.