At the end of Day 4 of the one-off Test, India find themselves in complete control as they need just seven wickets to win the historic Test. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is unbeaten on 21 off 42 balls alongside Mahmudullah (nine off 29 deliveries.)
In the second innings, Bangladesh posted 103 in 35 overs for the loss of three wickets.
The visitors require another 356 runs to win, which looks an improbable task on the fifth and final day of the Test.
Starting the proceedings with the fast bowlers which didn’t yield much in terms of wickets in second innings, skipper Virat Kohli brought in his best spinners to make things tough for the visitors as the odd balls bounced from the rough areas created during past three days.
Earlier, while chasing a target of massive total of 459, Bangladesh crumbled under pressure early by losing their experienced batsman Tamim Iqbal (3 off 11 balls) on the bowling of ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin when the score was 11.
However, Bangladesh’s innings was consolidated by Soumya Sarkar and Mominul Haque’s controlled knock by putting on 60 runs for the second wicket stand before the left-handed batsman Sarkar (42 off 66 balls) was undone by Ravindra Jadeja when Ajinkya Rahane completed a brilliant low catch in slip cordon as Bangladesh scorecard read 71/2.
Sarkar was given out after the replays showed a faint edge before ball hit the pads to allow a slip catch to skipper Virat Kohli in slip region.
As the original decision was not from standing umpire Joe Wilson from the West Indies, Kohli was quick to go upstairs to make use of the Decision Review System (DRS) in the sixth over of the game.
Mominul Haque was caught by Ajinkya Rahane on the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin, who scored 27 off 63 balls.
Interestingly, in the 28th over, Joel Wilson was asked to exercise twice to give Shakib Al Hasan not out on the bowling of Jadeja.
After the first innings total, Bangladesh were 59 short to avoid the follow-on, but Kohli decided not to enforce it while sending his openers to bat in the second innings – to pile up the misery on Bangladesh.
Stepping on the gas, Chesteshwar Pujara scored an unbeaten 54 off 58 balls and Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 16 off 10 balls to put on 159 for four on board as Kohli declared the second innings to set a daunting target of 459 for the Tigers.
Kohli was again in charge with the bat, he scored 38 off 40 balls before being picked by Shakib Al Hasan.
Earlier, Murali Vijay (7 off 14 balls) failed to accelerate the innings as he was dismissed by Taskin Ahmed when India’s total was 12 in the fourth over.
In sixth over, KL Rahul, who hasn’t been able to build his innings in the recent Tests, was caught by wicket-keeper Rahim on 10 off 17 balls when the score was 23.
Starting the proceedings with the bat while starting from the overnight score of 322 for six, Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim notched his fifth Test hundred and second against India while showing the resilience against hosts’ bowlers in Hyderabad.
Rahim, who scored 127 off 262 balls which included 16 boundaries and two sixes, was the last man to go on 388 in Bangladesh’s 128th over before giving hosts a solid lead of 299 runs.
With the wicket of Rahim, Ashwin achieved a splendid feat by becoming the fastest bowler to reach 250 wickets in his 45th Test after surpassing Australian fast-bowler Dennis Lillee, who achieved the same in 48 Tests.
However, off-spinner Mehedi Hasan was the first man to return to pavillion without adding to his overnight score. The young bowling all-rounder was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar on an in-swinging delivery when he was batting on 51 off 107 balls
For the eighth-wicket stand, Rahim added 39 runs with left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.
Islam was caught by wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha on 10 off 38 balls when Bangladesh was 378.
Taskin Ahmed was caught by Rahane on the bowling of Jadeja on 8 off 35 balls.
Brief Scores:
Bangladesh 103 for Three
Shakib Al Hasan 21*
Mahmudullah 9*
Ravichandran Ashwin Two for 34 in 16 Overs
India 159 for four declared:
Chesteshwar Pujara 54* off 58 balls
Virat Kohli 38 off 40 balls
Taskin Ahmed 2 for 43
Shakib Al Hasan 2 for 50
Bangladesh require 356 to win