Bangladesh might have begun the solitary Test against India yesterday with ample amounts of confidence derived from their recent run of form but it mattered little as the visitors are on the verge of a huge total following the conclusion of the first day’s play at Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan scripted a brilliant comeback in the Test arena, smashing his third hundred, while his partner Murali Vijay is slowly but surely inching towards his sixth as India ended the rain-marred first day on 239 without loss.
The Bangladesh think-tank gave birth to yet another controversy, having decided to opt for only one seamer in Mohammad Shahid in the playing XI, and the decision backfired horribly. A lack of a second specialist seamer enabled the Indian openers to play freely and accumulate their runs at a brisk rate of 4.26 per over. Only 56 overs among the regulation 90 was possible due to persistent rain but Dhawan and Vijay paid no heed to that as the former remained unbeaten on 150 while the latter was undefeated on 89.
Liton Kumar Das, who became the 77th Bangladesh cricketer to feature in Test cricket, made his international bow but all the attention was on local boy Shahid, who hails from Narayanganj. The right-arm paceman did make an impressive start, creating some half-chances early on, but was unable to sustain his rhythm as the Indian openers punished anything sloppy from the Tigers bowlers.
Dhawan can count himself lucky as it was because of Lokesh Rahul’s illness that the southpaw was able to play the Fatullah Test. And, Dhawan grabbed the opportunity with both hands, reaching his fifty off just 47 balls. Dhawan however, enjoyed the rub off the green as he was dropped on 73 by Shuvagata Hom at short mid-wicket off Taijul Islam. He ensured there would be no more hiccups as he was well en route to his century before lunch. Only four cricketers have previously hammered a hundred before lunch. Rain though denied Dhawan and played spoilsport as play was halted right until 3:30pm. Intervention from the rain-gods hardly aided Bangladesh’s cause as Dhawan soon reached his century.
The 29-year old smote 21 boundaries and was not out after facing 158 balls while Vijay’s 178-ball knock featured eight fours and a six.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim looked helpless as he had to make do with just one seamer and four spinners – Taijul, Jubair Hossain, Shuvagata and Shakib al Hasan – and the slow bowlers were unable to create any sort of difficulties in the face of some controlled batting by the opposition openers.
