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Tuesday, 14 February 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
India’s cricket team poses with the trophy after winning a solo Test match against Bangladesh at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on February 13, 2017 - AFP
Reuters: Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja picked up four wickets apiece to lead India to a comprehensive 208-run win over Bangladesh on the fifth day of their one-off test at Hyderabad on Monday.
Bangladesh, chasing an improbable victory target of 459 in their second innings, were dismissed for 250 late in an extended second session as India stretched their unbeaten run to 19 test matches.
Playing their maiden test in India, Bangladesh, who resumed on 103 for three, suffered an early blow when Shakib Al Hasan departed in the third over of the day after adding just a single to his overnight score of 21.
Left-armer Jadeja made the breakthrough when he landed the ball in the rough created by the bowlers’ footmarks and it spun and jumped to hit Shakib’s glove, leaving Cheteshwar Pujara to complete a simple catch at short leg.
First-innings centurion Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah then launched a mini-revival with a 56-run fifth-wicket stand that frustrated the world’s number one ranked test side.
India skipper Virat Kohli raised some eyebrows by keeping spin spearhead Ashwin, who on Sunday became the fastest man to pick up 250 wickets in tests, waiting until the 18th over of the day to join the attack.
His impact was immediate, however, as the world’s top-ranked bowler needed just four deliveries to break the stand. Mushfiqur made the mistake of looking to attack the off-spinner early in his spell but the Bangladesh skipper only succeeded in mistiming a shot towards mid-off, where Jadeja held on to a routine catch to dismiss the batsman for 23.
Mahmudullah showed better application during his knock of 64, his 13th test half-century, and kept Bangladesh’s hopes of a draw alive by sharing a 51-run stand with Sabbir Rahman for the sixth wicket. Those hopes were dashed after lunch though, when both batsmen were snapped up by Ishant Sharma during an inspired spell of fast bowling.
While Ishant dismissed Sabbir leg before for 22, Mahmudullah perished while trying to pull the lanky paceman and was caught at fine leg.
Mehedi Hasan, who scored his maiden test fifty in the first innings, and Kamrul Islam Rabbi denied India for a further 14 overs before the former became Jadeja’s third wicket of the innings. Jadeja then dismissed Taijul Islam to put India on the brink of their fifth consecutive test triumph and the victory was confirmed when Taskin Ahmed fell leg before to Ashwin after Kohli plumped for a review in a confusing passage of play.
