The Indians enjoyed the challenge of the pink ball, adapted effortlessly and put up an emphatic performance in their day-night Test debut.
Asked to bowl on a dry track, India’s world-class pace battery bundled out Bangladesh for 106 in less than three hours. Then, aided by disciplined half-centuries from captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshawar Pujara, scored 174 for three at the close of the opening day’s play at the Eden Gardens here on Friday.
Wriddhiman Saha’s words about the Indian seamers prior to the match turned out to be prophetic. They grew in confidence after about half-an-hour and wreaked havoc on Bangladesh in front of their Primer Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Lovely rhythm
Ishant showcased lovely rhythm, chose the right areas and extracted fine movement off the surface to be the first from the country to take a pink five-for — his first at home in 12 years.
Bowling round the wicket to the left-handed opening duo, Ishant looked effective right from the start. He mixed his stock deliveries with ones that cut into the southpaws.
The lanky Delhi bowler became the first Indian to take a wicket with the pink ball, when Imrul Kayes was trapped in front playing across, soon after using the DRS lifeline to survive a caught behind decision.
Umesh Yadav then changed ends to deal a double blow.
Rohit Sharma, who had practised taking sharp catches prior to the match, leaped to his right to remove skipper Mominul Haque and give Umesh his first scalp. Mithun inside-edged an incoming delivery.
Mohammed Shami extracted massive lateral movement, but benefited by sticking to the target. He drifted the ball slightly to see Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh’s top-scorer in the first Test, playing on.
The visiting batsmen made things easier for the host with their lack of footwork. Opener Shadman Islam (29) became Wriddhiman Saha’s 100th dismissal and Umesh’ third victim.
Mahmudullah poked at Ishant’s away-going delivery to be spectacularly held by Saha in front of first slip as Bangladesh was reduced to 60 for six inside 20 overs.
A defiant Liton Das displayed his compact game, but his innings was cut short rather unfortunately. Liton, who missed a pull shot off Shami and was hit on the helmet on 15, shrugged off the blow to play a few lovely boundaries, complained of some discomfort in the next over when umpires called for supper with Bangladesh at 73 for six.
Under the concussion rule, Liton (24) was replaced by all-rounder Mehidy Hasan. Off-break bowler Nayeem Hasan (19), also hit by a Shami bouncer, was also substituted by spinner Taijul Islam due to concussion.
Interestingly, both Mehidy and Taijul had been dropped from the playing XI at the toss.
As lights were switched on in the second session, sighting the pink ball seemed to become an issue.
Ishant, egged on by an enthusiastic crowd, uprooted Nayeem and Ebadot Hossain’s off stumps and had Mehidy caught at short-cover.
Pujara lapping up a fumbled catch by Rohit in the slips ended the Bangladesh innings.
Mayank Agarwal and Rohit began confidently, but could not convert their starts.
Pujara and Kohli applied themselves in the unfamiliar setting and put up a determined 94-run partnership for the third wicket to put India on top.
Pujara drove, cut and played his trademark wristy shots on the onside to pick up eight fours in his 21st half-century (55, 105 balls). He was caught at second slip trying to negotiate unexpected bounce from an Ebadot delivery.
Kohli in good nick
Kohli (59 not out) solidly defended deliveries that deserved respect and drove beautifully to collect most of his runs down the ground and in the cover region.
A gorgeous pull off Ebadot brought up his 50. He stood firm with his deputy Ajinkya Rahane (23 not out) till the end.
Scoreboard
Bangladesh 1st Innings: Shadman Islam c Saha b Umesh 29; Imrul Kayes lbw b Ishant 4; Mominul Haque Rohit b Umesh 0; Mohammad Mithun b Umesh 0; Mushfiqur Rahim b Shami 0; Mahmudullah c Saha b Ishant 6; Liton Das retired hurt 24; Nayeem Hasan b Ishant 19; Ebadat Hossain b Ishant 1; Mehidy Hasan c Pujara b Ishant 8; Al-Amin Hossain not out 1; Abu Jayed c Pujara b Shami 0. Extras: (B-8, LB-6) 14
Total: (For 10 wkts in 30.3 Overs) 106
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-17, 3-17, 4-26, 5-38, 6-60, 7-82, 8-98, 9-105, 10-106.
India bowling: Ishant Sharma 12-4-22-5, Umesh Yadav 7-2-29-3, Mohammed Shami 10.3-2-36-2, Ravindra Jadeja 1-0-5-0.
India 1st innings: Mayank Agarwal c Mehidy Hasan b Al-Amin 14; Rohit Sharma lbw b Ebadat Hossain 21; Cheteshwar Pujara c Shadman Islam b Ebadat Hossain 55; Virat Kohli not out 59; Ajinkya Rahane not out 23. Extras (LB-1, W-1) 2
Total (For 3 wkts in 46 Overs) 174
Fall of wickets: 1 - 26, 2-43, 3-137
Bangladesh bowling: Al-Amin Hossain 14-3-49-1, Abu Jayed 12-3-40-0, Ebadat Hossain 12-1-61-2, Taijul Islam 8-0-23-0.
