Daijiworld Media Network
Fatullah, Jun 10 : Hello and a very warm welcome to the second day coverage of the only Test between Bangladesh and India. Virat Kohli would be a happy man after the end of day 1 as India went onto post a record opening stand and are yet to lose a wicket. In a rain-curtailed, where the game progressed with the assistance of floodlights, Dhawan-Vijay made the best use of conditions as they went onto score 239 in just 56 overs.
Shikhar Dhawan, who was an inevitable replacement for the unwell K L Rahul, ensured that he utilized the opportunity to the fullest and registered his third Test ton. Murali Vijay played a supporting role and is just 11 runs away from his 6th Test ton. Bangladesh paid the price heavily for picking only one seamer and the spinners weren't effective too. The weather in Fatullah isn't looking promising for the next two days and Virat Kohli would surely employ an even more aggressive approach from now on. India are all set to post a mammoth first innings total. The only way to restrict the heavy Indian batting line up is to pick wickets.
Well! It is raining heavily at the ground and the players will leave their hotel at 10:00 local time.
On Day 1, Vijay then survived a close LBW shout at the fag end of the day, only to be saved by an inside edge. Dhawan marched on and reached 150 just before the umpires decided to call stumps because of the fading light. Bangladesh tried seven bowlers during the course of the day but none of them were able to achieve a breakthrough. Although the odd one is turning and bouncing, the pitch is absolutely flat and the batsmen would enjoy batting on this surface on Day 2.
It rained, rained and rained and after almost four hours, play resumed with about 38 overs remaining in the day. The story was no different for Bangladesh even after the break as both the Indian openers batted freely. Vijay upped the ante and recorded his 11th Test fifty and Dhawan soon brought up his third Test match hundred. It was the first hundred for the left-handed batsman in 15 innings. The duo stretched their partnership past 200 and in the process recorded India's highest ever opening stand against Bangladesh in Tests.
239/0 in 56 overs after opting to bat first, India will take that with both hands. The fact that they scored at 4.27 runs per over explains their dominance. The pitch had hardly anything in it for the bowlers and both Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay were able to score at will. The latter though survived a very close LBW shout in the second over of the day even before opening his account. However, as the morning progressed, the duo were able to find the gaps and Dhawan in particular, was severe on the bowlers. He raced to fifty off 47 balls, but had a nervy moment soon after as Shuvagata Hom dropped him just before the skies opened up.