Left-arm spinner Axar Patel picked up three wickets on Saturday as India edged closer to a comfortable win in the opening test against Bangladesh, reducing the hosts to 272-6 in their second innings at the end of day four in Chittagong.
Bangladesh made a promising start in the morning session before India’s bowling attack stepped up a gear, leaving the hosts needing 241 to win at the end of the day with only four wickets remaining.
Resuming on 42-0, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan dug deep to record a 124-run opening partnership – Bangladesh’s first century opening stand in the longest format against India.
The pair looked formidable and faced very little trouble as India mixed things up with pace and spin. However, the visitors took three wickets in the afternoon session to disrupt the home side’s rhythm.
The opening partnership came to an end when Umesh Yadav dismissed Shanto for 67 as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant pulled off a relay catch after Virat Kohli dropped it.
Coming in at no. 3, Yasir Ali could do very little and was bowled out for five runs by Patel while Litton Das was dismissed for 19 by Kuldeep Yadav.
Despite the tumbling wickets, Zakir stood his ground on his test debut and eventually brought up a century in style with a four swept behind square.
But the 24-year-old’s celebrations were short-lived as he was soon sent packing by Ravichandran Ashwin, caught in the slip by Kohli.
Umesh could have had another wicket when the seamer came in with the new ball after tea against Mushfiqur Rahim, but keeper Pant failed to take a diving one-handed catch.
Patel made up for it though, finding the off stump to dismiss Mushfiqur for 23 in the next over.
He picked up his third wicket shortly after Nurul Hasan was beaten on the outside edge and removed stumped.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan was on an unbeaten 40 and will resume action on day five with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9) as Bangladesh hope to avoid another defeat against India, having never beaten them in tests.
Earlier, having claimed a first-innings lead of 254, India set Bangladesh an unlikely second-innings target of 513 thanks to centuries from Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara.
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