Rain mars first day of Fatulla Test
Dhawan rips apart Tigers bowling
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh paid the price of their questionable strategy by letting India rally towards a big total on the rain-affected first day of the one-off Test at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah yesterday.
While the expectation was higher on the hosts following the incredible performance in the World Cup and the home series against Pakistan, a jaded and out-of-sort Bangladesh turned up at Fatullah which hosted its first Test since 2006.
The decision to include just one pacer raised quite an eyebrow while the execution was nowhere near the standard as Indian openers piled a host of misery by being unscathed throughout the Day One, racking up 239 without losing any wicket.
Shikhar Dhawan was not out on 150 and Murali Vijay on 89 when bails were drawn for bad light, after 34 overs were lost after lunch to heavy rain. Its the third time Bangladesh ended the first day without any scalp. India did it twice while South Africa achieved the feat once against Bangladesh.
On a flat deck in overcast conditions, they batted with ease against a toothless Bangladesh bowling attack which lacked penetration and imagination. The toss was always vital in this kind of surface but Bangladesh seemed to have lost the match once Virat Kohli called it rightly.
Despite announcing their aspiration to win the match publicly, Bangladesh went with negative approach, fielding a batting-heavy side that included just three genuine bowlers- paceman Mohammad Shahid, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and leg-spinner Jubair Hossain Likhon. Shuvagata Hom, Shakib Al Hasan and Soumya Sarkar who shared the new ball with Shahid with his military pace, are counted as allrounders.
The spinners, upon whom Bangladesh relied, were insipid, and helped Dhawan and Vijay settle in after nervy start by sending down short-of-length deliveries.
There were some close calls initially against both of Dhawan and Vijay but the bowlers failed to keep up the pressure.
With the bowlers sending loose deliveries on a benign pitch, Dhawan made the most of the conditions by moving to 74 not out in a 107 total when lunch was called early due to rain. To the horror of the fans, just before the rain, Dhawan offered a tough catch at short midwicket. Shuvagata Hom dived low but could not snare the chance.
After the whole second session was washed out, Dhawan quickly reached his third Test century, in just 101 balls. His aggressive attitude didnt let up, and he reached 150 off 158 balls on the last ball of the day after smashing 21 boundaries.
Vijay was more restrained but while Dhawan ripped apart the Bangladesh bowling effortlessly, he grew in confidence and played some gorgeous shots around the wicket. He hit eight fours and one six in his 89 off 178 balls and closed in on his sixth Test century.
The 239 between the two openers is fifth-most prolific among Indian openers, and the only one other than Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to have posted two double-century stands. This was also Indias best opening partnership against Bangladesh.
