Fiery pacers blast Bangladesh out for 150, India 86/1 on day 1
Indore, Nov 14: India's pace troika was at its menacing best against an under-confident Bangladesh, helping the home team seize control of the first Test here on the opening day itself.
On one of the bounciest tracks in recent times, Bangladesh were bundled out for 150 in 58.3 overs, lasting barely two sessions and a few overs more here on Thursday.
With ample time at their disposal, India ended the day at 86 for 1 in 26 overs, losing Rohit Sharma's (6) wicket to Abu Jayed.
The notable aspect during the Indian innings was Cheteshwar Pujara (46 batting) outscoring the more flamboyant Mayank Agarwal (37 batting) during their unbroken 72-run stand, leaving ominous signs for the four-man Bangladesh attack.
The first day's proceedings starkly highlighted the gulf between world's No.1 and No.9 Test sides.
Umesh Yadav (2/47 in 14.3 overs), Ishant Sharma (2/20 in 12 overs) and Mohammed Shami (3/27 in 12 overs) made life difficult for a team whose batsmen lacked both in technique and temperament.
A luckless Ravichandran Ashwin (2/43 in 16 overs), let down by Ajinkya Rahane in the slips cordon, also had a couple of clean-bowled dismissals in his kitty in the post-lunch session.
The three Indian pacers consistently bowled at 140 kmph, with seam, swing and bounce making life miserable for Bangladeshi batsmen.
Each of the three displayed different qualities and it was evident from the manner of dismissals.
Ishant's bowling was about disconcerting bounce from length that had opener Shadman Islam caught behind and the occasional fuller delivery holding its line that forced Liton Das to edge one to Virat Kohli in the slips.
For Umesh, it started with brisk pace and getting it to seam into other opener Imrul Kayes and making him expect more incoming deliveries. Just when Kayes was getting used to a pattern, Umesh produced away going deliveries for the left-hander, squaring him up and the edge flew to slips.
He again came in the post-tea session during which the tailenders looked scared, retreating towards square leg in fear of getting hurt.
Mohammed Shami, probably the craftiest among the contemporary Indian pacers, showed there is no one better when it comes to getting reverse swing with 50-over old SG Test ball.
Mushfiqur Rahim (43), Bangladesh's top scorer, who led a charmed life and was dropped twice, didn't have a clue when one swung back to knock the stumps back after he was beaten by away going deliveries.
The next one by Shami swung even more as Mehidy Hasan Miraj (0) was adjudged leg-before although a DRS call could have saved him had he opted for one.
In the first session, Shami had dismissed Mohammed Mithun with conventional inswing.
Even without Jasprit Bumrah, who is nursing a stress fracture, the unit looked so formidable that one could sympathise with Bangladeshi batsmen facing their combined might.
They attacked relentlessly and it didn't matter that India weren't exactly having a great day as far as slip catching was concerned. Umesh could have got Mushfiqur early had Kohli latched on to one in the third slip.
Ashwin had both Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah Riyad dropped by Rahane at first slip.
It didn't cost the team much but the frustrated bowler then decided that breaching the defence was the best option as Mominul Haque (36) and Mahmudullah were dismissed due to poor judgement and shot selection respectively.
First he angled one to left-hander Mominul, who thought it will be a conventional off-break and decided to leave the delivery.
To his horror, it came in with the angle to peg the off-stump back.
Mahmudullah was lucky when Rahane dropped a regulation catch at slips but a rank bad shot brought about his downfall.
The right-hander tried to sweep Ashwin from outside the off-stump and in the process was bowled round the legs, leaving all three stumps exposed.
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Rain lashes parts of Bengal as severe cyclone 'Dana' moves closer to coast
Kolkata (PTI): Several districts of West Bengal received moderate to heavy rain on Thursday morning, as severe cyclonic storm 'Dana' inched closer to the state’s coast and that of neighbouring Odisha, the IMD said.
The cyclonic storm is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday with wind speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour (kmph), it said.
The weather system lay 280 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) at 2.30 am, the IMD said in a bulletin.
The cyclonic storm is set to bring heavy rainfall in several south Bengal districts, including Kolkata.
Advising fishermen not to venture into the sea, the Met Department said gale wind with speeds reaching 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph is prevailing over northwest Bay of Bengal.
It warned that the wind speed over the area is likely to increase gradually to
100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph till Friday morning, and decrease thereafter.
The coastal districts of Bengal are experiencing moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds since the early hours of Thursday, while Kolkata woke up to an overcast sky and intermittent showers.
The bulletin warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy downpour in isolated places in the south Bengal districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts on Thursday and Friday.
Public transportation to and from Kolkata's suburbs may get affected from the evening, as Eastern and South Eastern railways cancelled a large number of trains on Thursday and Friday, in view of the cyclone.
More than 170 express and passenger trains running through South Eastern Railway (SER) jurisdiction have been cancelled, an official said.
The trains cancelled were scheduled to depart from their originating stations between October 23 and October 27, he said.
The Kolkata-headquartered SER zone is spread across West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Besides, the Eastern Railway (ER) will not operate any EMU local train from Sealdah station on its south and Hasnabad sections from 8 pm on Thursday till 10 am on Friday, the official said.
The ER also cancelled 68 suburban trains on the Howrah division on Friday morning, he said.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said it is on high alert and has mobilised vessels and aircraft to respond swiftly to any contingency over the Bay of Bengal.
Meanwhile, the NDRF said it has deployed several teams across south Bengal to tackle any emergency situation.
Ferry services in the Sunderbans area spread over North and South 24 Parganas districts and also across river Hooghly in Kolkata and adjoining areas will remain cancelled in view of the impending inclement weather, officials said.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has also opened a control room at its headquarters here, and cancelled the leaves of all essential staff.
