Bangladesh 103-3, need 356 runs to beat India in one-off Test 

Hyderabad: Bangladesh face a big test of saving the one-off cricket Test as they reached 103 for three in their second innings after India set them a target of 459 on the penultimate day here on Sunday.

Middle-order batsmen Mahmudullah (9) and Shakib Al Hasan (21) were at the crease when umpires disloged the bails for the day which saw the visitors concede a 299-run lead after being bowled out for 288 in their first innings.

India then scored rapidly and declared their second innings at 159 for four. Chasing a mammoth 459, the visitors started the proceeding on a bad note as they lost their premier opening batsman Tamin Iqbal in the sixth over of the innings. Iqbal, who only managed to score three runs in 11 balls, was dismissed by spinner Ravichandran Ashwin with 11 runs on the board.

The fall of wicket brought in Mominul Haque (27), who along with opener Soumya Sarkar (42) built a crucial 60-run second wicket partnership to stablise the innings. Just when things seemed good for the visitors, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja provided the much needed breakthrough as the left-arm spinner dismissed Sarkar in the 22nd over with scoreboard reading 71/2.

After three overs, Haque was also sent packing by Ashwin. Haque faced 63 balls and slammed three boundaries. New batsmen Mahmudullah and Hasan then denied the Indian spin twins --Ashwin and Jadeja -- from making any further inroads. Earlier in the day, Bangladesh could add only 66 runs to their overnight first innings score of 322 for six.

The hosts declared their second innings for 159/4 at tea, setting a 459-run target. Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, who was not out on 81 on Saturday, went on to post his fifth century in Test cricket. He scored 127. Off the 66 scored in the morning by Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim alone scored 46.

Another overnight batsman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz was not able to add a run to his overnight score of 51 as he was bowled by seamer Bhuvneshawar Kumar in the first over of the day. The fall of Miraz's wicket brought in lower-order batsman Taijul Islam (10), who was dismissed by pacer Umesh Yadav with scoreboard reading 339/8.

Taskin Ahmed and Rahim then stitched a crucial 39-run ninth-wicket partnership to get past 370-run mark. In the 125th over, Ahmed was caught by Ajinkya Rahane at first slip off Ravindra Jadeja. The last wicket could only add 10 runs to the total score as Mushfiqur, who played an excellent knock, was taken by Ashwin, who became the fastest bowler to claim 250 Test wickets.

Ashwin bowled a flat carrom ball down the leg and Rahim looked to sweep but got the glove which resulted in a simple catch to wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha, as Bangaldesh were bowled out for 388 For India, Yadav scalped three wickets while Ashwin and Jadeja took two wickets each.

Then, Indian openers Murali Vijay and K.L. Rahul failed to give the hosts the start they wanted. Both openers were dismissed in six overs with scoreboard reading 23. Vijay (7), who slammed a brilliant 108-run knock in their first innings total of 687 for six declared, was the first to go as he was caught by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim off pacer Taskin Ahmed.

Rahul (10), who was struggling to find his rhythm was next to go. He too was taken by Ahmed. Incoming batsmen Pujara (54 not out) and skipper Virat Kohli (38) then built a 67-run partnership before Kohli was caught at short mid-wicket by Mahmudullah off Shakib Al Hasan.

Kohli's 40-ball knock was laced with two boundaries and one six. The fall of Kohli's wicket brought in Ajinkya Rahane (28), who along with Pujara added 38 runs to get past 120-run mark.

Rahane was bowled by spinner Hasan in the 27th over to reduce the visitors 128 for 4. Jadeja then blasted a six and a four in his first three deliveries faced as India rushed to declare the innings. Pujara and Jadeja (16 not out) were the batsmen who were at the crease when India declared their innings.

--IANS