Ruthless India takes 153-run lead at tea against Bangladesh
Image : BCCI
||CF Correspondent ||
India steamrolled Bangladeshi bowling as it was predicted as they are on course to bat out the visitors from the game.
Opener Mayank Agarwal hit his third century in just an eighth match while Ajinkya Rahane played a perfect foil to him to help India reach 304-3 at tea on the second day of first Test at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Friday.
By the second interval of the day, Agarwal was batting on 156 with Ajinkya Rahane on 83.
The duo put on a 185-run in an undefeated fourth-wicket partnership, as India survived an early scare to stretch their lead to an imposing 154 runs with seven wickets at hands.
Resuming the day on 86-1, India was troubled by Bangladesh pacer Abu Jayed Rahi, who scared them for a while, dismissing overnight unbeaten batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli for naught in his consecutive overs.
Pujara was dismissed on 52, while Kohli’s 0 was his 10th duck in Test cricket and the second in this year.
With India at 119-3, Bangladesh, which was bowled out for 150 in its first innings sensed a golden chance to claw back into the match,
But Agarwal and Rahane shattered the hopes by systematically tormenting the bowlers and kept the visitors wicket-less in whole post-lunch session.
While Rahane’s game was based on pure classical shots, Agarwal just had taken Bangladeshi bowlers in disdain.
He was particularly harsh on the spinners duo—Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam.
Agarwal however smacked 21 fours and three sixes in his 251 ball-156. The century was also his third in last five innings.
Rahane who rediscovered his mojo in this year, was not out on 82 off 168, sending the ball across the rope for eight time.
Rahi took all the three fallen wickets for 73 runs so far.
