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Mushfiqur delays inevitable after Kohli-Ishant show

By The Assam Tribune

KOLKATA, Nov 23: Mushfiqur Rahim scored a gritty unbeaten 59 to share the limelight with centurion Virat Kohli as Bangladesh kept India�s series sweep celebrations on ice and ended Day 2 on 152/6 in the second Test at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Bangladesh still trail India by 89 runs with four wickets in hand. Taijul Islam (11) was removed off the last ball of the day by Umesh Yadav (2/40).

At close of play, Ishant Sharma, who bagged a five-for in the first innings, returned with figures of 4/39 in the second.

Earlier, Kohli slammed his 27th Test hundred and equalled former Australian great Ricky Ponting�s record of 41 international centuries as captain. With the century, Kohli�s 20th as India captain in Tests, the 31-year-old also surpassed Ponting�s tally of 19 Test tons as skipper.

India were on course to bat Bangladesh out of the maiden pink ball Test and sweep the series comfortably after declaring at 347/9 in reply to the tourists� paltry 106.

A lead of 241 runs meant it was an improbable task for Bangladesh to force even a draw and after being reduced to 13/4 inside seven overs, it was only a matter of time before the formalities were completed.

But seasoned batter Mushfiqur and T20 captain Mahmudullah Riyad forged a 69-run unbroken partnership before the latter retired hurt after pulling a hamstring.

Mushfiqur got to his 21st fifty in just 54 balls and added another 51 runs with Mehidy Hasan before Ishant had Hasan caught at first slip by Kohli.

The tourists were 7/2 at dinner losing opener Shadman Islam for a duck as skipper Mominul Islam got out for a pair, the 23rd occasion when the captain did not open his account twice in the same Test match.

Mohammad Mithun, who survived a knock on his helmet grill off Ishant, pulled a Umesh delivery to Mohammed Shami at short midwicket with Imrul Kayes (5) edging Ishant to Kohli at third slip.

In the afternoon, it was all about Kohli�s hundred as Ajinkya Rahane brought up his 21st half century to help India consolidate.

Kohli got to the landmark, his 70th international ton and 20th as captain, by tucking Taijul for two runs past square leg.

The talismanic batsman, who now has back-to-back tons at Eden Gardens with the last coming against Sri Lanka in 2017, took 159 balls to get to his century in 234 minutes after being on 59 at Stumps on the first day. Kohli shifted gears after getting to his hundred and hit Abu Jayed for four consecutive fours to go into tea break looking good for a double ton. Rahane, who started the day on 23, smashed his 21st fifty but was dismissed soon after for 51 from 69 balls with the help of seven fours as India resumed on 174/3. � IANS

SCORECARD

Bangladesh 1st innings: 106

India 1st innings: MA Agarwal c sub (Mehidy Hasan Miraz) b Al-Amin Hossain 14, RG Sharma lbw b Ebadat Hossain 21, CA Pujara c Shadman Islam b Ebadat Hossain 55, V Kohli c sub (Taijul Islam) b Ebadat Hossain 136, AM Rahane c Ebadat Hossain b Taijul Islam 51, RA Jadeja b Abu Jayed 12, WP Saha not out 17, R Ashwin lbw b Al-Amin Hossain 9, UT Yadav c Shadman Islam b Abu Jayed 0, I Sharma lbw b Al-Amin Hossain 0, Mohammed Shami not out 10. Extras: (b 12, lb 2, w 8) 22. Total: (For 9 wicket in 89.4 overs) 347 decl. Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-43, 3-137, 4-236, 5-289, 6-308, 7-329, 8-330, 9-331. Bowling: Al-Amin Hossain 22.4-3-85-3, Abu Jayed 21-6-77-2, Ebadat Hossain 21-3-91-3, Taijul Islam 25-2-80-1.

Bangladesh 2nd innings: Shadman Islam lbw b I Sharma 0, Imrul Kayes c Kohli b I Sharma 5, Mominul Haque c Saha b I Sharma 0, Mohammad Mithun c Mohammed Shami b Yadav 6, Mushfiqur Rahim not out 59, Mahmudullah retired hurt 39, Mehidy Hasan Miraz c Kohli b I Sharma 15, Taijul Islam c Rahane b Yadav 11. Extras: (b 8, lb 4, w 5) 17. Total: ( For six wicket in 32.3 overs) 152. Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-2, 3-9, 4-13, 4-82, 5-13, 6-152. Bowling: I Sharma 9-1-39-4, UT Yadav 10.3-0-40-2, Mohammed Shami 8-0-42-0, R Ashwin 5-0-19-0.

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