Pacers put India in pole position

PTI, Chennai: Jasprit Bumrah's artistry seemed incomprehensible for an out of sorts Bangladesh batting line-up as India took complete control of the opening Test with an overall lead of 308 runs at end of second day's play. Bumraj (4/50) once again worked his magic in company of Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep (2/19) and Ravindra Jadeja as Bangladesh were all-out for a paltry 149 in their first innings in reply to India's 376. With a lead of 227 runs, India ended second at 81 for 3 with Shubman Gill (33 batting) and Rishabh Pant (12 batting) at the crease. The rest of the six Bangladesh wickets were equally shared by rookie Akash Deep (2/19), seasoned Ravindra Jadeja (2/19) and Mohammed Siraj (2/30).

However, the beginning of India's second innings was not really bright as they lost skipper Rohit Sharma (5) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) with 28 on board. Rohit was forced to play a slightly short of the length delivery from Taskin Ahmed, and the resultant edge ended with Zakir Hasan at gully. Jaiswal was guilty of succumbing to the temptation of going for an expansive drive after pacer Nahid Rana pitched one full following up on a few short-pitched deliveries. But the 28 for two was not really alarming considering the substantial first innings lead India had amassed by then. However, they needed immediate consolidation to further tighten the grip. Gill provided that in the company of Virat Kohli (17, 37 balls) for the third wicket while adding 39 runs.

Gill played some delectable shots either side of the pitch, generating immense power and timing from his typical minimum- follow through of the bat method. A short-arm jab through covers off Rana for boundary was the standout shot from the right-hander on the day. But the Kohli's dismissal, leg before to spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, late on the day slightly soured the proceedings for India. However, on a day when a total of 17 wickets fell, Bumrah, as usual, was the lead performer. The quick slipped into his elements straightway and fetched India the first breakthrough dismissing in-form Shadman Islam, who shouldered arms to an in-cutter with disastrous consequences.

It was a dismissal where Bumrah set up Shadman with a few deliveries round the wicket (for the southpaw) and then came over the wicket to keep the length intact but subtly changing the line of attack. That indecisiveness was the hallmark of the rest of the Bangladesh innings, as Bumrah added the wickets of Mushfiqur Rahim, Taskin and Hasan Mahmud to his collection. Centurion Ravichandran Ashwin endured a rare wicketless innings but others stepped in for him, and Bangladesh too contributed with their timorous approach. It was reflected in the dismissals of Litton Das (22, 42 balls) and the vastly experienced Shakib Al- Hasan (32, 64 balls). They were looking comfortable in the middle during the course of their 51- run (94 balls) alliance for the sixth wicket. But Litton chose to play a rather needless uppish slog sweep off Jadeja that was grabbed by substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel, who came in for pacer Siraj.