Ind vs Ban: Visitors put up a fight but India still in control

Hyderabad: Although India continue to enjoy an upper hand, Mushfiqur Rahim (81 not out), Shakib Al Hasan (82) and Mehedi Hasan (51 not out) managed to keep Bangladesh in the competition as the visitors ended day three of the one-off Test at 322/6 here on Saturday.

While India threatened to derail the Bangladesh innings after dismissing Shakib before tea, Mushfiqur and Mehedi put up a solid fight to deny India a chance to run through Bangladesh’s lower order.

Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandra Ashwin scalped two wickets in the second session on day three of the one-off Test. While Ashwin got out the danger man Shakib Al Hasan, who danced down the track, but failed to make proper contact with the ball, as he lobbed an easy catch to Umesh Yadav and mid-on, Jadeja dismissed Sabbir Rahman.

Earlier in the day, Umesh Yadav rattled Bangladesh batsmen with pace while Ishant Sharma got some reverse swing as the visitors were left struggling at 125/4 at lunch on the third day of the one-off cricket Test against India here on Saturday.

Bangladesh are fighting to avoid follow-on which is highly unlikely looking at the apparent discomfort that their batsmen endured while facing the Indian speedsters. India had scored a mammoth 687 for 6 in their first innings.

India made early inroads into Bangladesh’s middle order after Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque departed in the first hour of third day's play.

Tamim got run-out in the third over after he took on Umesh Yadav’s arm and it cost Bangladesh a wicket as the Indian pacer threw at the right end to end Tamim’s innings.

Umesh, who had dismissed Soumya Sarkar on day two, added one more wicket to his tally after he trapped Mominul before the wickets.

Mahmudullah Riyadh (28) and Mominul both were distinctly uncomfortable as Virat Kohli always employed the pace-spin attack from both ends.

After Umesh (2/33) bowled three overs from the pavilion end (the Shivlal Yadav End), Kohli cleverly switched him to the far end (VVS Laxman) from which he bowled another 6 overs at a stretch.

He continuously troubled both Mominul and Mahmudullah for a considerable period of time with his out-swingers.

After bowling a number of out-swingers, he got one to come back sharply into Mahmudullah, which trapped him in-front. India went for a DRS but it was an Umpires' Call despite the delivery grazing the leg stump.

But Umesh didn't lose heart and left-hander Mominul got a fuller delivery that came in after pitching. The umpire promptly adjudged leg before and the batsman didn't even take a review.

It was a testimony to Umesh's stamina that his pace never dropped during the nine overs that he bowled in the morning.

Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan (29 batting) then added 45 runs during and also got their share of streaky boundaries in between.

But right-hander Mahmudullah was never in control during his stay. When Umesh was bowling, it was Jadeja bowling from the 'pavilion end' and often the ODI specialist would rush to meet the quicker deliveries from Jadeja.

Once Kohli decided to rest Umesh and Jadeja, he introduced Ishant (1/38) and Ashwin from either ends.

With the 'SG Test' ball now being 30 plus overs old and the team having maintained the shine, it was time for the lanky Ishant to get it to reverse and hit that length close to the full which makes life difficult for the batsman.

Mahmudullah, who looked like a walking wicket, got one that darted in sharply with hint of reverse and was beaten.

The umpire adjudged the batsman leg before, who went for a review which didn't work in his favour.

India, however, lost their second DRS appeal when Ashwin got one to straighten enough, beating Shakib's bat but it was ruled not out.

Earlier in the game, Virat Kohli smashed his fourth double century, and Wriddhiman Saha struck his second Test ton as India tightened their grip on the game.

Five of India's top six batsmen registered 80-plus scores as the hosts became the first team to post 600-plus totals in three consecutive Tests.

Skipper Kohli led by example, hitting 204 to follow his double centuries against West Indies, New Zealand and England in the last seven months.

Kohli had completed his century on Thursday, and the 28-year-old looked unstoppable as he added 222 runs with Ajinkya Rahane after India resumed on 356-3.

Kohli reached 150 off 170 balls and was supported by Rahane who returned from a finger injury to hit 82 before being dismissed by Taijul Islam.

The India captain was adjudged leg-before to off-spinner Mehedi Hasan when on 180, but he called for a review of the decision and had it overturned after replays suggested the ball would have missed the stumps.

The right-hander brought up his double hundred with his 24th boundary but fell leg before to Taijul (3-121) attempting a late cut.

Ravichandran Ashwin was dismissed for 34 but Saha went on to make 106 not out, clobbering his second six to reach his hundred in style.

Ravindra Jadeja made 60 not out and had raised 118 runs with Saha when Kohli called them in.