Taijul Islam bowled India to 86-3 in reply to 227

• Taijul’s left-arm spin dismissed India’s top three.
• India’s openers never looked comfortable at 19 for 0.
• Bangladesh needed control and wickets to win.

Taijul Islam bowled India to 86 for 3 in response to the hosts’ 227. Taijul bowled 13 overs of left-arm spin to dismiss India’s top three.

Bangladesh’s score no longer looked puny on a field set to aid spin, and India’s choice to drop a spinner wasn’t brilliant.

India’s openers never looked comfortable at 19 for 0. Bangladesh needed control and wickets to win. Pre-lunch returns of 67-for-3 won’t cause many complaints.

KL Rahul, who struggled against Shakib Al Hasan, struggled against Taijul. Except for one back-foot boundary, he regularly got caught on the crease and played forward defence.

He made a slight movement when he looked to skip down. One ball spun less than intended and kissed his pad on the way to the bat.

Shubman First-day Gill was also kept quiet. Gill had added six to his overnight 14 by the ninth over. He tried the huge sweep, the only top-four batter to do so. He picked a full and straight ball and didn’t examine lbw.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s runs dried up after Mehidy Hasan Miraz made it spin both ways. He added three in 25 balls after going 21-for-29.

The last was a simple forward defensive shot off the inside half of the bat, but Mominul Haque caught it low. Short, he shifted to his left and stayed low, snatching it with his left hand centimeters from the ground.

Virat Kohli, who went out lbw to Taijul in the first Test, looked to play on the front foot but had to defend since Taijul scarcely missed his length. When Kohli defended, he was rushed.

Rishabh Pant stepped out to long-on and deep midwicket at 71 for 3, much like he did at 48 for 3 in Chattogram. Both batters survived close calls in the interval before lunch.

Kohli ran back to Mehidy, but the ball didn’t turn in. The thick edge rescued him. Litton Das missed a half-chance at first slip after Pant’s half-hearted cut. Pant sent Kohli back from an improbable single on the penultimate ball of the session.

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