Guwahati: Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav put an end to Bangladesh’s resistance to deliver India a decisive 188-run victory in the first test of the two-match series at Chattogram’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
With this victory, India climbed to third place in the ICC World Test Championship standings as Bangladesh fell victim to the excellent spinners of India, losing four wickets in the first hour of the fifth day’s opening session.
Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, a spin-duo, took seven wickets together to destroy the hosts. Kuldeep took three wickets, bringing his total for the game to eight, while Axar took four.
Bangladesh resumed their inning at 272/6 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9) and Shakin Al Hasan (40) at the crease for the hosts. Things were off to a positive start for Bangladesh as Mehidy drove Mohammed Siraj through the covers in the first over of the day while Shakib slog-swept Axar Patel for a six from the opposite end.
The hosts were eventually dismissed for 324 runs, though, as it only took the Indian bowlers 11.2 overs to end the second inning. Mehidy failed to swat Siraj on the up and cut one to backward point. He attacked the Indian spinners and hit a torrent of boundaries before Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Shakib for 84.
The Chinese bowler dismissed Ebadot Hossain, and Axar caught Taijul Islam to give India a 1-0 series lead and increase their prospects of competing in the World Test Championship final in his subsequent over.
Earlier, India struck three more times in the final session of the fourth day of the match, leaving the hosts struggling at 272/6 at the end of the day’s play, with 241 more runs required to win with only four wickets in hand.
At the end of the play, Shakib al Hasan (40*) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9*) were unbeaten for Bangladesh.
Kuldeep Yadav was declared the player of the match for his eight wickets and his valuable knock of 40 runs in the first inning.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh 150 and 324 (Zakir Hasan 100, Shakib Al Hasan 84, Axar Patel 4-77) vs India 404 and 258/2 declared (Shubman Gill 110, Cheteshwar Pujara 102*, Khaled Ahmed 1/51).