Day/Night Test: Indian pace trio wreak havoc, bowl out Bangladesh for 106

India’s pace trio wreaked havoc at Eden Gardens, Kolkata as Bangladesh top-order were blown away to be reduced to 106-all out in 30.2 overs in country’s first Pink Test where the pre-match hype didn’t translate into the quality contest on Friday (November 22).

The pink ball proved to be a killer weapon for the pacers as the visiting batsmen didn’t survive even the very first deliveries.

Also read: Day/Night Test: Indian pacers shine with pink ball, dismantle B’desh top-order

Ishant Sharma created history by drawing the first blood of Imrul Kayes (4 off 15) with the pink ball and with his immaculate length and line registered a five-wicket haul in the first innings of opening day.

Umesh Yadav ripped the visitors after a change of ends as the so-called five-day match ran the risk of an early finish after Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque once again surprised everyone opting to bat on a seamer-friendly track.

Mohammad Shami picked up two wickets including the innings-concluding dismissal of Abu Jayed which was a straightforward catch to Rohit Sharma at second slip, however, the ball missed his palms and was caught by Cheteshwar Pujara at the first slip who accepted the hitman’s gift.

A pumped up @ImIshant after he picks up his 5-wkt haul in the #PinkBallTest.#TeamIndia pacers have bowled out Bangladesh for 106 runs in the first innings. pic.twitter.com/Z3k0yvEwlM

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 22, 2019

Lunch was taken abruptly midway into the 22nd over after Liton Das retired hurt for 24 following a big blow on his helmet in the forehead region off a Mohammed Shami delivery in the previous over.

The batsmen may have feared the twilight period but looking at the way Bangladesh batted, it seemed they would fold well before the sun sets late into the second session.

The heavily-lacquered pink ball had a quiet first three overs before Bangladesh batsmen started collapsing. The ball was seaming and the pacers were getting it to rear up from the good length.

Bangladesh batsmen looked unsettled by the capacity crowd, something they have never encountered even in their home Tests and the world-class bowling made it even more difficult.

Also read: Eden Gardens turns pink for India-Bangladesh maiden Day/Night Test

Such was their plight that for the first time in the subcontinent, batsmen Nos 3, 4 and 5 (skipper Mominul Haque, Mohammad Mithun, and senior-most player Mushfiqur Rahim) were all dismissed for a duck.

Pushed into the unknown territory without any practice back home, Bangladesh’s opening duo of Shadman Islam and Imrul Kayes survived some anxious moments in the first six overs before Ishant Sharma trapped the latter.

Umesh then triggered the collapse in his second spell with two wickets in three balls, first being skipper Mominul who was dismissed by a beautiful diving one-handed catch by Rohit Sharma.

Next was Mohammed Mithun beating him by pace as it sharply cut in with the batsmen playing on to his stumps.

Despite the catching skepticism surrounding the pink ball, Saha looked a class act behind the stump as usual as the ball was swinging a lot after moving the batsman.

His low catch of Mahmadullah, outstretched and dragged across Virat Kohli at the first slip, was the highlight of his keeping as he also completed a milestone of 100 dismissals in the longest format.

Scoreboard:

Bangladesh 1st Innings:

Shadman Islam: (c) Saha (b) Umesh – 29

Imrul Kayes: lbw (b) Ishant – 4

Mominul Haque (c) Rohit (b) Umesh – 0

Mohammad Mithun (b) Umesh – 0

Mushfiqur Rahim (b) Shami – 0

Mahmudullah (c) Saha (b) Ishant – 6

Liton Das (retired hurt) – 24

Nayeem Hasan (b) Ishant – 19

Ebadat Hossain (b) Ishant – 1

Mehidy Hasan (c) Pujara (b) Ishant – 8

Al-Amin Hossain (not out) – 1

Abu Jayed (c) Pujara (b) Shami – 0

Extras: (B-8, LB-6) – 14

Total: (For 10 wkts in 30.3 Overs) – 106

Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-17, 3-17, 4-26, 5-38, 6-60, 7-82, 8-98, 9-105, 10-106.

Bowling: Ishant Sharma 12-4-22-5, Umesh Yadav 7-2-29-3, Mohammed Shami 10.3-2-36-2, Ravindra Jadeja 1-0-5-0.

(With inputs from agencies)