Tea Bangladesh 37 for 2 (Litton 24*, Zakir 9*) trail India 404 by 367 runs
Siraj struck with the first ball of the innings when Shanto edged one to Rishabh Pant and Yasir chopped on against Umesh because of the low bounce, leaving the hosts on 5 for 2. Debutant Zakir Hasan and Litton Das survived the remaining 39 balls in the session and even hit five fours – including three in a row from Litton off Umesh – in the last two overs before tea.
Iyer and Ashwin had started the day by patiently negotiating the low bounce and turn. Bangladesh burned a review in the fourth over of the day when they thought Ashwin had edged Ebadot Hossain behind, but replays showed the ball had only touched the pad. Ebadot soon used the short-ball strategy against Iyer and was rewarded with a leading edge off a hook to fine leg, where Litton gave Iyer his third life and then went off the field with an injured knee.
Ebadot, however, struck in his next over by jagging the ball into Iyer to hit off stump when the batter played inside the line. Ashwin, meanwhile, had struck Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a six over long-on for his first boundary. Bangladesh wasted another review when they thought Kuldeep had tickled his first ball down the leg side but there was no edge again.
Ashwin did not shield Kuldeep from the strike and Kuldeep repaid that faith by carefully playing the spinners, both on the front and back foot. He was beaten outside off a few times when Mehidy turned the ball away from him, but Kuldeep also collected boundaries off the loose balls he got.
His first was when he pulled a short ball from Khaled that didn’t bounce as much and then he played a reverse sweep behind point off Taijul. Batting appeared to get easier once the ball got softer and Ashwin looked confident and solid in defence as Bangladesh deployed spin from both ends before lunch.
In an eventful over from Taijul, Ashwin was first beaten by turn outside off, and edged the next ball past first slip. The resulting throw from deep third landed right on the helmet stationed behind the wicketkeeper and India were awarded five penalty runs. Two balls later, Bangladesh appealed for lbw against Kuldeep when he was hit in front of leg but the ball was turning down leg. There was another loud lbw appeal against Ashwin four overs later and Bangladesh reviewed again, but replays showed the ball was just clipping leg stump and the decision stayed with the on-field umpire’s call of not out.
Ashwin hit his second six after the lunch break, this time off Taijul, and reached his 13th Test fifty the next ball. Kuldeep survived more appeals and then swept Taijul for two more fours before Ashwin fell for 58, when he stepped out a long way to Mehidy and was stumped. Taijul trapped Kuldeep lbw next over and Siraj holed out to long-on but India had already got to a commanding first-innings total with the help of two meaty sixes from Umesh.
Shakib Al Hasan’s unavailability to bowl because of a rib injury hurt Bangladesh but he should be available to bat.