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 here here 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.
Mominul led the fight for Bangladesh, remaining unbeaten on 102 off 176 balls while giving him company was Mehidy Hasan Miraz (6 not out).
For India, Ravichandran Ashwin (2/45) and Akash Deep (2/43) picked up two wickets apiece, while Japsrit Bumrah (1/36) and Mohammed Siraj (1/46) claimed one each.
Brief Scores:
Bangladesh 1st Innings: 205 for 6 in 66 overs (Mominul Haque 102 not out; Akash Deep 2/43, Ravichandran Ashwin 2/45).
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