Finance
Bangladesh is battling to avoid a follow-on after ending the second day of play in the first Test against India at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on 133 for 8. Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, and Ravichandran Ashwin all hit half-centuries to help India post 404 in the first innings.
On the first day of the Test match on Wednesday, Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer put on a record 149-run partnership (December 14). Both Pujara and Iyer, who scored 90 and 86 runs, missed out on well-deserved centuries.
After the specialist batters were dismissed, it was up to all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav to take India past the 400-run mark. Ashwin hit a brilliant half-century before being dismissed for 58 runs and putting on 92 runs for the eighth wicket. Kuldeep posted his career-best score of 40.
Mohammed Siraj struck with the first ball of the Bangladesh batting innings, dismissing Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck. Siraj went on to take three early wickets in Bangladesh’s innings.
Kuldeep Yadav then came in and claimed four wickets on the second day, leaving Bangladesh on the mat at 133 for 8 at the end of the second day. All-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the ODI series’ hero, is still in the middle, and the home team can only hope to avoid the 204-run follow-on mark.
India declared their second innings for 258 for 2 after Shubman Gill (110 off 152 balls) and Cheteshwar Pujara (102 not out off 130 balls) hit centuries. At the end of the day’s play, Najmul Hossain Shanto (25) and Zakir Hasan (17) were at the crease for the home team.
Brief Scores:
India: 404 and 258/2 in 61.4 overs (S Gill 110, C Pujara 102 not out; Khaleed Ahmed 1/51).
Bangladesh: 150 and 42 for none in 12 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 25).
