India have near-perfect session with ball to keep Bangladesh on back foot

India made the essential breakthroughs in the opening session of day three as Bangladesh went to lunch on 71 for 4. The visiting bowlers put together a fantastic effort as they complemented each other. Partnership bowling can be a clichéd term, but India projected exactly that during the first session.

Mushfiqur Rahim was the fourth wicket to fall in the over before the lunch interval putting Bangladesh in deep trouble. Only Zakir Hasan, playing only his second Test, remained unbeaten on 37, obdurate but solid.

The morning started quite brightly for Bangladesh when Zakir pristinely drove Mohammed Siraj down the ground off the second ball of the day. But it quickly turned sour. Najmul Hossain Shanto, having survived a close call against Ashwin, fell a minute later when the next ball zipped into his back pad.

Mominul Haque, who top scored with 84 in the first innings, made only five before edging Siraj. He flicked a boundary off the previous ball, which prompted his forward movement to the length delivery, the ball kissing his outside edge.

Bangladesh got stuck for the next half an hour, but Shakib Al Hasan and Zakir, hitting a boundary each, couldn't break the shackles. Jaydev Unadkat eventually took Shakib's wicket with a delivery that stuck on the wicket. Shakib's checked drive hit high on the bat, lobbing to cover where Shubman Gill took the easy catch.

Axar Patel became the fourth bowler to take a wicket in the session when he trapped Mushfiqur on the backfoot. The umpire gave it out, and while Mushfiqur reviewed, it was hitting leg-stump. He missed out on crossing 30 in the Test series, as he got out for 9 in this innings. His previous scores were 28, 23 and 26.

Source: ESPNcricinfo