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Kanpur Test, IND vs BAN: All round India put hosts in Command on Day 4

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Star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took two quick wickets to reduce Bangladesh to 26 for two in their second innings as India grabbed complete command of the rain-hit second Test at close on the fourth day here on Monday.

Bangladesh still trail by 26 runs. Ashwin did the damage with a two-wicket haul (2/14).

Earlier, aggressive fifties by Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul placed India in a commanding position.

Jaiswal (71 off 52 balls) and Rahul (68 off 43 balls) helped India declare their first innings at 285 for nine for a lead of 52 runs. Virat Kohli made a fluent 47 off 35 balls.

For Bangladesh, veteran left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan picked four wickets (4/78) along with off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz (4/41) to check the free-flowing Indian batters as they scored runs in excess of eight an over.

Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a bludgeoning half-century to steer India to a solid 138 for two in their first innings at tea on day four of the weather-hit second Test against Bangladesh, in Kanpur, on Monday.

Jaiswal hammered a 52-ball 71 as India scored at over eight runs an over, and now trail the visitors by 95 runs.

Showing urgency to surpass Bangladesh total and probably push for a victory in the limited time available, India came out batting in the T20 mode.

Jaiswal hit three boundaries in the opening over to stun pacer Hasan Mahmud while Rohit began by clobbering two sixes off Khaled Ahmed, and one landed on the stadium roof.

The onslaught surprised the rival attack but the home fans were rewarded for flocking the stadium in the last two days despite rain.

Going with a see-and-hit approach, India completed the fastest team fifty in three overs.

Realising the ineffectiveness of his pacers, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto introduced spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and he responded to the SOS call, castling Rohit.

Jaiswal completed his fifty with a single off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam and went on in his aggressive fashion. His innings, which contained 12 fours and two sixes, was cut short by Mahmud.

The young opener added 72 runs for the second wicket with Shubhman Gill (38).

Gill (37) and Rishabh Pant (4) remained unseparated till the tea break.

Earlier, Bangladesh were bundled out for 233 in their first innings, built around Mominul Haque’s patient hundred.

Except for Mominul, none of the Bangladeshi batters applied themselves on a placid pitch that did not offer much to the Indian bowlers.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah (3/50) accounted for three batters, further establishing his brilliance, while his pace colleagues Mohammed Siraj (2/57) and Akash Deep (2/43) scalped two batters each.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (2/45) got rid of legendary Shakib Al Hasan, probably playing his last.

Ravindra Jadeja toiled hard to get his 300th Test wicket and succeeded when he caught and bowled Khaled. Jadeja also became the second quickest to complete the double of 300 wickets and 3000 runs in Test cricket behind England great Ian Botham.

Mominul Haque hit a patient hundred on a placid pitch but India maintained pressure on Bangladesh with a couple of stunning catches, reducing the visitors to 205 for six at lunch on day four of the weather-hit second Test in Kanpur on Monday.

The sun shone bright in the Kanpur sky after two gloomy days and the on-field action finally began after a loss of eight sessions.

It was still a first-day pitch but there was not much either for pacers or spinners. Bangladesh top-order batter Mominul completed his 13th Test century even as his colleagues failed to apply themselves in favourable conditions.

Resuming at 107 for three, Bangladesh lost Mushfiqur Rahim (11) in the sixth over of the day when Jasprit Bumrah castled him with an angled delivery.

It was an error of judgement from Rahim who left the ball, thinking it will go over the stumps but it stayed a bit low to disturb the off-stump.

In the previous ball also, Rahim was troubled by an angled delivery that took the edge and zoomed to the boundary ropes.

New-man in Litton Das (13) began confidently, driving a length ball from Bumrah through the cover region for a four and followed that up with another solid drive in the same region.

Mominul stayed solid from his end and also survived a catch appeal off Mohammed Siraj. The southpaw was beaten, the ball hit his thigh-pad and DRS showed the ball had not touched his glove before being taken by Yashasvi Jaiswal.

In the next ball, Mominul completed his half-century by pulling a short one from Siraj to the square leg boundary.

Rohit Sharma, standing at mid-off, pulled a stunner from thin air when Das charged down the wicket to Siraj but stood in disbelief after his powerful hit was plucked by the Indian captain mid-off.

In came Bangladeshi legend Shakib Al Hasan (9), who is probably playing his last Test match, but he did not last long. He got his first boundary by working a full-length from Siraj on the leg side.

He went after Ashwin but could not connect well as his one hand came off the bat. Siraj standing at mid-off backpaddled to take a stunning catch.

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