New Delhi: A resilient Bangladesh ended Day 3 at 322/6, trailing India by 365 runs.
A day which started with a disastrous run out ended on high for Bangladesh as the visitors did not lose any wicket in the last session -- the first session in the Test match were no wickets have fallen, to deny India an early wrap of the Test match.
Captain Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on 81 at stumps and he will have young Mehedi Hasan (51) for company when Bangladesh resume their quest to save the follow-on Sunday.
Indian fast bowlers toiled hard throughout the day but did not have much to show in the wickets column. Umesh Yadav bowled one of the best spells of the Test match, beating the bat on numerous occasions in the morning session without much luck. His only success was the wicket of Mominul Haque. Ishant then trapped Mahmudullah right in front to set the cat among the pigeons. India looked to be on course to get Bangladesh following on after reducing them to 125/4 at Lunch.
A counter-attacking knock by Shakib-Al-Hasan and some rearguard action by Mushifqur Rahim made sure India had to wait for more than an hour in the post-lunch session to get their fifth wicket. Ashwin foxed Shakib with a change of line and got him caught at mid-on for a well played 82.
Shabbir Rahman fell to a Jadeja arm-ball soon after. Just when it was looking like one way traffic, Bangladesh came up with an inspiring performance.
The duo of Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehedi Hasan put on an unbroken partnership of 87. 19-year-old Mehedi Hasan went on to score his maiden Test fifty, becoming the youngest Bangladeshi to score a Test half century against India.
Hasan and Mushfiqur batted particularly well against World’s two top-ranked bowlers Ashwin and Jadeja – maintaining a right balance between caution and aggression.
Mushfiqur, though survived a close run out call which could have gone either way when he was only on 18. Apart from that and a few Ishant Sharma short deliveries which got Mushfiqur hopping, the Bangladesh skipper looked in control.
While the match is still heavily tilted towards India, it was the last session of day’s play that provided the slimmest of hopes of the Test match going the distance.
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