CHATTOGRAM (Bangladesh): Brilliant half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Cheteshwar Pujara, with a partnership stand of 149-run, guided India to 278/6 against Bangladesh on the first day of the opening Test of the two-match series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Wednesday.
At the end of day one, Iyer was batting unbeaten on 82 runs from 169 balls. Iyer and Pujara rose to the occasion and scored crucial half-centuries at a time when India was down and out.
India resumed their innings at 174/5. Pujara showed his attacking intent as he slammed Ebadot Hossain for a beautiful four runs. The duo of Iyer and Pujara kept piling runs while hitting boundaries at regular intervals. Pujara showed his masterclass as he brought up his gritty half-century in 125 balls with stunning back-to-back fours. This was Pujara’s first century since January 2019.
In the 63rd over of the game, Iyer also brought up his much-needed 50 with an outstanding four in 93 balls. The duo continued kept piling runs, bringing up their 100-run partnership while taking India beyond the 200-run mark.
Iyer and Pujara kept rotating the strike as the vice-captain took a more aggressive role as the innings progressed. Bangladesh made several attempts, but they were not successful to break the partnership. Taijul Islam gave India a big blow as he dismissed well-set batter Pujara.
Taijul finally broke the blistering partnership stand of 149-run between the Indian vice-captain and Iyer in the 85th over of the game. Pujara departed after playing an excellent knock of 90 off 203 deliveries.
The left-handed batter Axar Patel then came out to bat, but could not do much as he was dismissed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz on the last ball of the day for 14 off 26. India ended the first day of the match in a comfortable position.
India were at 174/4 at tea due to an unbeaten 62-run stand between Iyer and Pujara. India managed to score 89 runs for the loss of one wicket in 30 overs during the second session, placing the team in a respectable position. At tea, Iyer (41*) and Pujara (42*) were at the crease.
Resuming the innings at 85/3, India looked dominant with Rishabh Pant continuing his onslaught as he became the fastest to hit 50 sixes in test matches. Bangladesh missed a trick when they dropped Pujara on the second ball after lunch.
Bangladesh got some respite in the wicket of Pant as he gave away his wicket while trying to dominate the bowlers. He looked in ominous touch in his 45-ball stay in which he scored 46 runs with the help of six boundaries and two towering sixes.
India’s most successful batter in the ODIs this year, Shreyas Iyer, walked in to bat and had a stroke of luck on his first ball as his edge landed just wide of slip. However, that was the only hiccup that the batter faced during the second session.
He played a steady and fluent knock, continuing his rich vein of form in 2022. Pujara did what he does best as he made sure to anchor one end and kept blocking the balls to ensure Bangladesh don’t make further inroads.
The duo batted superbly to negate the turn that the bowlers were able to extract while playing delightful shots every once in a while. They ensured that India has the upper hand in the match as they took the team to 174/4 at the end of the second session.
Earlier, India opted to bat after winning the toss and ended the first session at 85/3. An unbeaten 37-run stand between Rishabh Pant and Chetehwar Pujara guided India to 85/3 in 26 overs at the time of lunch in Chattogram on Wednesday.
Rishabh Pant came when India was 48 for 3 and gathered 29*(26) before the lunch break on Day 1. Pujara was playing at an unbeaten 12 off 32 at lunch.
Brief Score: India 278/6 (Cheteshwar Pujara 90, Shreyas Iyer 82*; Taijul Islam 3-84) vs Bangladesh (ANI)