Indian cricket team during Kanpur Test match vs Bangladesh.© BCCI

Bangladesh’s off-spin all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz said he was taken by surprise over India’s attacking approach with the bat on day four of the rain-affected second Test at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Monday. Under sunny skies, India’s breathtaking approach with the bat saw them set records for the fastest team 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 in men’s Tests. On the back of half-centuries scored by Yashasvi Jaiswal and K.L. Rahul, India declared its first innings on 285/9 in just 34.4 overs after bowling out Bangladesh for 233.

With Bangladesh ending a frenetic fourth day at 26/2 in their second innings and trailing India by another 26 runs, the match is undoubtedly headed towards an exciting finish on Tuesday.

“They really advanced with a plan. Yes, I was somewhat surprised. After 2-3 overs, we realized they were following their strategy. We tried to play according to our strengths and aimed to break their innings.”

“Test cricket always presents various scenarios. Today’s game was quite similar to a T20 match. From their planning, it was clear they came to win. In the end, everyone played to score runs.”

“We tried to figure out how to stop the runs. We must give them credit; they are the number one team and are performing well, with many world-class players and plenty of experience,” said Mehidy in the post-match press conference.

He also felt Bangladesh are still not out of the match yet and that having an optimistic mindset will be the key. “In Test cricket, anything is possible. We haven’t completely lost yet. We’ve won many matches under similar circumstances before and have done well. There’s still an opportunity for us.”

“The wicket is good. It will be challenging, but I believe if we can form a solid partnership and bat responsibly for a session, it will be a positive outcome for us. We still have tomorrow. Let’s not think negatively just yet.”

Mehidy conceded Bangladesh’s batter could have given more support to batter Mominul Haque, who remained unbeaten on 107 in Bangladesh’s first innings, even as others fell without being able to hang around for a long time.

“The first innings is very important for Tests and Mominul bhai really batted well we could not give him support and if we could give him support in that case the game could have been different and it would have been better for us. He played well, and it’s been a while since he had a good innings. His commitment and temperament were excellent, which is why he could score runs.”

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 71 off 52 balls on Day 4 of second Test vs Bangladesh.© BCCI

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is on the brink of a huge record in Test cricket. The star player could thus top a list a list that includes two other Indian greats — Kapil Dev and Ravichandran Ashwin. Jadeja needs only one wicket to complete 300 scalps in Test cricket. If he manages to achieve the feat in India’s Kanpur Test vs Bangladesh, it will make him the fastest player from the nation to complete 3000 runs and 300 wickets in Test cricket. Overall, Jadeja will be at the second spot as Ian Botham, who took 72 matches to reach the milestone, is at the helm. The ongoing second Test vs Bangladesh is Jadeja’s 73rd game in the format.

Bad light followed by heavy rain ended play before tea on day one of the second Test between India and Bangladesh in Kanpur with the visitors 107-3 on Friday, while the next two days were washed out without a ball being bowled. 

Mominul Haque, on 40, and Mushfiqur Rahim, on six, were batting when dark clouds made visibility tough and umpires took the players off the ground after lunch.

The match could be the last Test outing for former Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan, who announced his impending international retirement on Thursday.

Dim light turned into heavy rain and officials called off play after the covers were laid out, with more downpours forecast for Saturday in the northern Indian city.

India, who lead the two-match series 1-0, elected to field in overcast conditions and fast bowler Akash Deep vindicated captain Rohit Sharma’s decision with two wickets in the first hour of play.

He removed openers Zakir Hasan, caught out for a duck, and Shadman Islam, trapped lbw on 24, with his seaming deliveries to the left-handers.

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto, who made 31, put on 51 runs with Mominul to play out the remainder of the first session, but first-match hero Ravichandran Ashwin broke the stand after lunch.

Off-spinner Ashwin, who hit a century and took six wickets in India’s opening win, took down Najmul lbw with a turning delivery from around the wicket.

The hosts have come in unchanged with three seamers, who have regularly troubled the opposition batsmen with plenty of deliveries beating the bat.

Bangladesh ex-captain Shakib, 37, announced his international retirement on Thursday and could be playing his last Test match if he is unable to return home for a slated South Africa series.

Shakib is a former lawmaker for the party of ousted premier Sheikh Hasina and has stayed away from Bangladesh due to the threat of criminal charges levelled against him and dozens of her former allies.

(With AFP Inputs)

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja continues to reach new heights in Test cricket. Of late, he has registered a record that none of the other players have managed to achieve so far in the 147-year history of cricket. Jadeja has become the first-ever player to score 2000 plus runs and scalp over 200 wickets in a winning cause in a Test match. He achieved the feat during India’s first Test vs Bangladesh at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The next player who could equal this record of Jadeja is Ravichandran Ashwin. The star all-rounder has scored 1943 runs and taken 369 wickets in a winning cause in Test cricket.

Unless you’re a freak like Jasprit Bumrah, bowlers playing alongside Ravichandran Ashwin can be pushed behind the giant-shadow of the master off-spinner, even if it’s Jadeja, a genius in his own right.

Sometime during the Kanpur Test later this week, Jadeja, now standing at 299 wickets and 3122 runs, will join an elite club of cricketers to have achieved the grand double of 300 wickets and 3000 runs in the longest format.

Bear it in mind, only 10 players, including two from India in Ashwin and Kapil Dev, have achieved this mark in the history of cricket and some luminaries such as Gary Sobers and Jacques Kallis are missing from that list too.

But still Jadeja’s name hardly ever get mentioned in the same breath as some of the aforesaid all-rounders.

In one way, the modus operandi of Jadeja is the primary reason for it. Ashwin is eloquent and is not afraid to talk about his skills in a press meet or in his YouTube channel.

Jadeja does neither. He is quite happy to operate under the radar – like a stealth fighter jet.

But put him into a situation that demands a bail-out operation, Jadeja’s fighting instincts instantly come forth.

In that way, he is very task-oriented. Take the case of the first Test against Bangladesh, which India won by a whopping 280 runs.

From 144 for six, Jadeja and Ashwin took India to 376 all out with a 199-run stand for the seventh wicket. Jadeja made 86, but the talk centred around Ashwin’s home hundred.

Jadeja took five wickets in the match, but Ashwin ‘out-bowled’ him with six-wicket haul in the second innings.

Jadeja is an artist whose strength lies not in his artistry but in his competitive spirit.

But unfortunately, once again Jadeja’ valuable all-round effort ended up as a footnote, visible only to a discerning observer.

(With PTI Inputs)

Picture from Day 1 of India vs Bangladesh second Test.© X/@indianspirit070