Shami, Pujara flatten Bangladesh as India boss opening day

Indore: Indian pacer Mohammed Shami grabbed a team hat-trick, while Cheteshwar Pujara struck a fluent unbeaten 43 to help India first bundle out Bangladesh for 150 and then put up 86/1 on the board, at stumps on Day 1 of the first Test here on Thursday.

India, who dominated proceedings on the first day, trail by just 64 runs with nine wickets in hand.

Pujara, who is known to take his time at the crease, played aggressively and got to 43 from 61 balls with the help of seven elegant boundaries. At the other end, Mayank Agarwal — dropped on 32 by Imrul Kayes off Abu Jyaed –remained unbeaten on 37 from 81 deliveries (4×6).

The pair joined hands for an unbroken 72-run stand for the first wicket after Jayed had Rohit Sharma (6) caught behind by Liton Das.

Earlier, Shami returned best figures of 3/27 with Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin all taking two wickets each.

Ravindra Jadeja only had to bowl three overs as the visitors struggled to cope with India’s bowling battery, especially the pacers on a wicket which had a lot for them.

After winning the toss, new Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque chose to bat first, a decision which backfired big time. For the visitors, seasoned batsman Mushfiqur Rahim was the top scorer with a fighting 43.

The Indian team also got a team hat-trick after Shami picked up two wickets in two deliveries just before tea and Ishant got one just after the break.

Shami grabbed two wickets off the last two balls to dash any Bangladesh hopes of a revival as they were left reeling at 140/7 after the second session.

India skipper Virat Kohli brought back Shami for a short spell before the break to try and get rid of Rahim as the batsman was looking good for a half century.

In the fifth delivery of the 54th over, in-form Shami rattled Rahim’s stumps with a searing inswinger that pitched outside off and came back in sharply to bamboozle the batsman.

Rahim was gone for a well made 43 off 105 balls, his innings laced with four fours and a six.

In the very next ball, Shami trapped new batsman Mehidy Hasan in front to go into the break on a hat-trick. Hasan thought of reviewing it, but after consultation with non-striker Liton Das (21 batting), he walked towards the dressing room.

Replays, though, showed the ball missing the leg stump. Earlier, Ravichandran Ashwin bagged his 250th Test wicket at home as he castled Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque (22).

Mahmudullah (10) and Rahim tried to forge a partnership and had the rub of the green too when the former limited overs captain was dropped on 7 by India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.

But Rahane was not made to pay for his mistake as Mahmudullah lost his stumps trying to sweep a straight Ashwin delivery.

Bangladesh were 63/3 at lunch. Batting first on the wicket which already looked to be favouring the pacers meant that the opening duo of Shadman Islam and Kayes needed to play out the new ball.

But senior opener Kayes (6) was the first to go as Umesh bowled the perfect length outside the off stump to have Kayes poke at the ball. Rahane made no mistake grabbing it in the slip cordon.

With Kayes out in the sixth over, it was now important for Shadman to consolidate with skipper Haque.

But Ishant struck soon after as he once again like Umesh bowled the perfect line outside off to get Shadman to edge one straight to Wriddhiman Saha. With both the openers back in the hut by the seventh over, the back of the Bangladesh batting was already against the wall.

But that wasn’t all as Shami then came in to send back Mohammad Mithun – trapped right in front for 13. The scoreboard read a dismal 31/3. That is when Haque and Mushfiqur came together and ensured that they don’t lose any more wickets.

The only worry for the Indians was the fact that skipper Kohli dropped Mushfiqur off Umesh and deputy Ajinkya Rahane dropped Haque off Ashwin.

Brief Scores: Bangladesh 150 all out (Mushfiqur Rahim 43; Mohammmed Shami 3/27); India 86/1 (Cheteshwar Pujara 43 batting, Mayank Agarwal 37 batting)

(IANS)

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