Sublime Kohli, lethal Ishant push India closer to big win
Kolkata: Virat Kohli conjured up a classic hundred in his first tryst with the pink ball while a lethal Ishant Sharma tormented Bangladesh batsmen yet again to push India towards victory in their maiden day/night Test, here on Saturday.
Mostly offering a straight bat to dispatch the swinging pink cherry in the V region, Kohli became the first Indian to score a hundred in a day/night Test, treating the fans with a 136-run knock after starting the day at overnight 59.
His deputy Ajinkya Rahane (51) too looked in good touch, striking his fourth successive half-century as India declared their first innings at 347 for nine for a massive 241-run lead.
Bangladesh, who were shot out for 106 in their first essay, were reduced to 13 for four at one stage but the visitors ended the second day at 152 for six, courtesy a combative half-century from Mushfique Rahim (59 batting) and Mahmudullah, who retired hurt after scoring 39.
Mushfiqur smashed 10 fours in his counter-attacking knock as the visitors looked relieved when the Indian pacers struggled to handle heavy dew towards the end. They still trail by 89 runs and need a miracle to save the match.
On 59, Mushfiqur successfully reviewed an lbw decision given by Marais Erasmus as the ball deflected from his glove before hitting the pad in the fag end of the day.
Mahmudullah matched the senior pro but had to walk off due to a hamstring issue after they added 69 runs for the fourth wicket.
Paceman Ishant, who took a five-for in the first innings, blew away the top-order with a three-wicket burst and later added wicket of Mehidy Hasan to be one wicket away from his second 10-wicket haul in a Test match.
Umesh Yadav dismissed Taijul Islam (11) with a short ball in the last over of the day. Ashwin was introduced for the first time in the match and he almost gave a breakthrough in his fourth ball but Rahane dropped Mehidy Hasan at the slip.
Mohammed Mithun became the third Bangladeshi player to be hit on his head when he failed to duck an Ishant bouncer. Already two of their batsmen (Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan) were hit by Mohammed Shami bouncers in the first innings and were replaced according to the concussion protocol.
India started off the second innings with an intimidating slip cordon in four slips and a gully. Ishant gave the breakthrough in the fifth ball, trapping Shadman Islam before Bangladesh could open their account.
The gangly paceman returned and sent by rival skipper Mominul Haque, who edged one behind without bothering the scorer.
Earlier, resuming at 59, skipper Kohli looked at his sublime best as he brought up his 27th Test century. He pushed Taijul Islam for a double in the square leg region to bring up his hundred.
Rahane was done in by some extra bounce as he top-edged a Taijul delivery to be holed out at point. But Kohli, who had become the first Indian skipper to go past the 5000-run mark in the longest format, grew from strength to strength en route to his 70th International hundred.
Kohli hit top gear after his hundred, smashing Bangladeshi pacer Abu Jayed for four successive boundaries. His knock, which had 18 boundaries, ended when Taijul threw himself to his right to pluck a catch out of thin air.
With this century, Kohli equalled Ricky Ponting's record of most hundreds -- 41 -- as captain in International cricket (Tests/ODI/T20I). The India skipper took exactly half the innings (188) than the Aussie great for the world record.
Kohli had come to the crease under lights with India in a tricky 43/2 inside 13 overs on a day Indian openers had a rare failure. Kohli's last ton here had come against Sri Lanka on November 2017.
Bangladesh's ground fielding looked appalling while their bowlers absolutely did not show any fight in a damp squib to the pre-match hype for the first pink ball Test in India.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
