Kuldeep, Siraj reduce Bangladesh to 133/8 after lower order lifts India to 404

Kuldeep Yadav (4/33) and Mohammed Siraj (3/14) came up with impressive bowling performances as India reduced Bangladesh to 133/8 for stumps on Day 2 of the Chattogram Test on Thursday, December 15. The hosts ended the day trailing India by 271 runs, with only two first-innings wickets in hand.

Siraj got India off to a terrific start with the ball, sending back Najmul Hossain Shanto for a golden duck. Shanto poked a good length delivery outside off that seemed to hold its line and nicked off. Umesh Yadav then knocked over Yasir Ali (four) with a pacy delivery that the batter inside-edged onto his stumps.

Litton Das decided to counterattack. He slapped Umesh for a flurry of fours, three of them coming off consecutive deliveries in the 10th over. Das and Siraj were later involved in a verbal exchange, with the Indian pacer having the final say. He got one to jag back in and the ball also stayed a bit low. All Das (24) managed was to bottom-edge the ball back onto the stumps, with Siraj bringing out his “finger on the lips” celebration.

Siraj also dismissed Zakir Hasan for 20 with a length ball outside off that held its line. Zakir poked at the delivery and nicked it to the keeper. Kuldeep then struck with his second ball, ending Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan’s stay on three. The left-hander chipped down the wicket to clip the spinner, but Kuldeep generated some sharp turn and induced the edge, which was snaffled at slip.

Kuldeep had his second when Nurul Hasan (16) flicked the left-arm spinner uppishly and Shubman Gill took a brilliant reflex catch at short leg.

Bangladesh sunk further into trouble when Kuldeep got one to spin past the inside edge of Mushfiqur Rahim’s bat and trapped him lbw for 28. The good day for the Indian left-arm spinner continued as Taijul Islam (0) chopped a googly onto his stumps.

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Ashwin and Kuldeep guide India past 404 after Shreyas’ dismissal

Resuming their innings on 278/6, India lost Shreyas Iyer early on. He had only added four runs to his overnight score of 82 when he was cleaned up by the persistent Ebadot Hossain. Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep, however, batted with great resolve, adding 92 for the eighth wicket.

While Ashwin’s innings came as no surprise, Kuldeep displayed an impressive defensive technique to keep Bangladesh’s bowlers at bay. He even reverse-swept Taijul Islam for four. India’s spin-bowling duo frustrated Bangladesh in the first session as the visitors went to lunch at 348/7.

In the second session, Ashwin launched Taijul for a six over long-on before raising his 13th Test half-century with a single off the next ball. The defiant stand ended when Ashwin was foxed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz as he came down the pitch and ended up being stumped for 58 off 113 balls.

Kuldeep was also back in the hut in the next over, trapped lbw by Taijul for 40 off 114 deliveries. At the other end, Umesh (15*) struck a couple of impressive sixes to take India past 400. The Indian innings ended on 404 when Siraj (four) skied a catch off Mehidy.