All-round domination from Team India leaves them on doorstep of clinical win at end of Day 3

Team India set themselves into a favourable position to clinch what can be an important win in a long journey that is to follow suit. After some top-class batting from Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant as both of them fired home imperative tons, Bangladesh had their task cut out.

Starting at 81/3, both Gill and Pant made it a mission to continue with their resilience, frustrating the Bangladeshi bowlers on what was an extremely flat track. The duo added 167 runs for the fourth wicket with Pant being the carefree aggressor, bringing up his sixth century in Test cricket while equalling the feat of MSD of being the Indian wicket-keeper with the highest number of Test centuries.

Despite the fall of Pant, Shubman Gill was quick to shift gears and accompanied by an incoming KL Rahul (22*), the former drove the hosts to a steady 287/4, securing a healthy lead of 514 runs. Rohit Sharma felt that it was more than enough to give India the winning leeway.

Coming out to bowl, India had a bit of an early challenge going in. A steady opening partnership between Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35) ushered them to 62. However, it was Jasprit Bumrah once again to showcase his magic with an absolute peach that drifted away from Hasan and Yashasvi Jaiswal took a sharp catch.

Despite a show of resilience from Najmul Hossain Shanto (51*), Ravichandran Ashwin’s torment at the other end left Bangladesh reeling at 158/4 with bad lights spoiling the remainder of the day’s play. With two days’ of play to go, India needs six wickets to pocket the match while Bangladesh will need 357 runs.

Brief scores:

India – 376, Ravichandran Ashwin – 113, Hasan Mahmud – 5/83

Bangladesh – 149, Shakib Al Hasan – 32, Jasprit Bumrah – 4/50

India – 287/4 (dec), Shubman Gill – 119*, Rishabh Pant – 109, Mehidy Hasan Miraz – 2/103

Bangladesh – 158/4, Najmul Hossain Shanto – 51*, Ravichandran Ashwin – 3/63, BD needs 357 runs to win