Kuldeep puts India on top in first BD Test

CHITTAGONG: Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav shone with both bat and ball as India plunged Bangladesh into serious trouble on the second day of the first Test in Chittagong on Thursday.

Bangladesh collapsed to 133-8 at stumps, with Kuldeep picking up 4-33 after his 40 made a vital contribution to India’s first innings total of 404 runs.

Mehidy Hasan, 16 not out, and Ebadot Hossain, 13 not out, survived the day but Bangladesh still needed 71 runs to avoid a follow-on.

“Losing eight wickets is disappointing,” admitted Bangladesh spin coach Rangana Herath, insisting nonetheless that the game was not over.

“But you know this is Test cricket, three days to go, we need (to) hang in there and we need to fight hard,” he said.

Mohammad Siraj ripped the hearts out of Bangladesh’s top order with 3-14 before Kuldeep -- playing the series as a late replacement for Ravindra Jadeja -- mesmerised the home side with his left-arm spin.

Siraj dismissed Najmul Hossain on the first ball of the Bangladesh innings as the hosts made the worst possible start in reply to India’s total. Umesh Yadav complemented his efforts by bowling Yasir Ali for four three overs later.

“Red ball is my favourite format,” Siraj said after the day’s play.

Score Board

India won the toss

India 1st Innings

Rahul (c)b Ahmed 22

Gill c Ali b Islam 20

Pujara b Islam 90

Kohli lbw b Islam 1

Pant †b Miraz 46

Iyer b Hossain 86

Patel lbw b Miraz 14

Ashwin st †Nurul b Miraz 58

Yadav lbw b Islam 40

Yadav not out 15

Siraj c Rahim b Miraz 4

Extras: (lb 1, nb 2, pen 5) 8

Total:133.5 Ov 404

Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-45, 3-48, 4-112, 5-261, 6-278, 7-293, 8-385, 9-393, 10-404

Bowling: Hossain 21-2-70-1, Ahmed 20-3-43-1, Al Hasan 12-4-26-0, Islam 46-10-133-4, Miraz 31.5-6-112-4, Ali 1-0-7-0, Shanto 2-0-7-0

Bangladesh 1st Innings

Shanto c †Pant b Siraj 0

Hasan c †Pant b Siraj 20

Ali b Yadav 4

Das b Siraj 24

Rahim lbw b Yadav 28

Al Hasan (c)c Kohli b Yadav 3

Hasan †c Gill b Yadav 16

Miraz not out 16

Islam b Yadav 0

Hossain not out 13

Extras: (b 6, lb 3) 9

Total:44 Ov 133/8

Yet to bat: Khaled Ahmed

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-5, 3-39, 4-56, 5-75, 6-97, 7-102, 8-102

Bowling: Siraj 9-1-14-3, Yadav 8-1-33-1, Ashwin 10-1-34-0, Yadav 10-3-33-4, Patel 7-3-10-0

Umpires: Michael Gough, Sharfuddoula