BAN vs IND: Visitors close to winning the first Test
India are close to winning the first Test against Bangladesh. Resuming Day 4 from 42/0, Bangladesh looked right on track, credit to Zakir Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto. Zakir smacked a 224-ball 100 on his Test debut, while Najmul and Shakib Al Hasan posted fighting totals. Axar Patel (3/50) shone for the visitors. Bangladesh need 241 runs to win the Chattogram Test.
Zakir scripts history on Test debut
Zakir was unfazed by an attack comprising spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar, and Kuldeep Yadav. Zakir, who scored 17 off 30 deliveries on Day 3, went on to clock his maiden ton on his Test debut. He whipped 12 fours and a six before Ashwin got the better of him. Zakir scored 20 off 45 deliveries in the first innings.
Najmul puts Team India under the pump
Resuming from 25, Najmul batted superbly on Day 4. He slammed back-to-back fours off Mohammed Siraj to up the tempo. Najmul ran a single off Ashwin to complete his third fifty in the format. A loose shot saw him throw a sturdy partnership post lunch, but the job was done. Najmul, who was out for a duck earlier, scored a 156-ball 67 (4s: 7).
Najmul-Zakir fetch a record partnership
Najmul and Zakir inked a commendable 124-run stand for the opening wicket. As per ESPNcricinfo, it's the highest opening partnership by Bangladeshi batters in Tests against India. They broke the previous best record of 53 runs between Imrul Kayes and Tamim Iqbal in 2010.
Indian bowlers toil hard to get breakthroughs
Indian bowlers were wicketless all throughout the first session. The gates opened post lunch, with Umesh Yadav bowling from around the wicket to uproot Najmul. Axar bowled out Yasir Ali, while Kuldeep breached Litton Das' defense. India roared back, conceding 57 runs but picking up three wickets. The visitors managed three more scalps to finish Day 4 on a strong note.
Shakib truncates the chase for Bangladesh
Star all-rounder Shakib has kept Bangladesh in the hunt for a record 513-run chase. Coming to bat at 208/4, the southpaw struck a four and a six off Axar in his first few deliveries. He has remained unbeaten on 40 off 69 deliveries (4s: 3, 6s: 2), with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9*) at the other end. Bangladesh have raced to 272/6 at stumps.
An unwanted feat for India
As per Rajneesh Gupta, India have conceded a century-opening partnership in four of the last 10 fourth innings chases in a Test outside India. Before that, they had only two-century opening stands against them outside India in their entire Test cricket history.
