India vs Bangladesh Highlights, 1st Test Day 1: IND 278/6 at stumps, Iyer unbeaten on 82

Pujara has been castled for 90. So near, yet so far. Beautiful innings from Pujara, who batted for 203 balls and kept the Bangladesh bowlers at bay until now. Taijul breaches his defence with one that turns just enough to crash into his stumps. Pujara’s last international hundred came in January 2019 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The wait continues.... Pujara added 149 with Iyer. Axar Patel is the new man in..

Shreyas Iyer gets a reprieve on 77, and i some bizarre way. Ebadot has bowled Iyer, but the bails have moved but not fallen! That’s not out. MCC Law 29.1 states that:“The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”

Bangladesh have taken the new ball. Khaled and Taijul Islam operating in tandem.

Taijul has bowled nearly 25 overs . That’s a lot of workload for one day. He has done well but Pujara and Iyer are now starting to mount a riposte against the tired Bangladesh bowlers. Anything over 300, on this pitch, with the kind of attack that India has will be challenging. Pujara has moved to 78 with a four and Iyer is batting in his sixties. Iyer offered a chance on 67 off the bowling of Mehidy but Ebadot dropped a sitter in the deep. That was a dolly. Bangladesh’s catching has been quite poor.

Our man, N Sudarshan, from the ground: “Bangladesh has often kept men in catching positions but the spinners haven’t quite bowled to the field, dropping the ball too short for some easy pickings. Taijul has beaten both Shreyas and Pujara outside off after drawing them forward.

But on the few occasions, they have managed to stick to a line, Shreyas and Pujara have been upto the task, like the last ball of the 68th over when Shreyas jumped out and hit Taijul over mid-wicket for four”

Shreyas Iyer gets to his 50 now, off 93 balls with a boundary off Shakib. Good knock this. Iyer saw off the iffy phase early in his innings and is now looking set for a big one. Ominous signs for Bangladesh if these two bat through till stumps. Shortly after getting to his 50, Iyer’s heart must have been in his mouth briefly as a run out appeal was sent upstairs. But he had dragged his bat inside the crease, beating the direct hit at the keeper’s end.

Pujara gets to his 34th Test 50 in his first Test in Bangladesh, off 125 balls. He gets there with a boundary off Taijul. He follows that up with a pull for yet another four. That blunter of a bowling attack is doing what he does so well - ensuring bowlers are worn to a frazzle while cashing in on the scoring opportunities. It’s been a tough year for Pujara, who was left out of the India squad for the home Tests against Sri Lanka earlier this year. He made a comeback for the one-off Test against England in Birmingham and scored a brilliant 66, opening the batting in the second innings. This knock will give him a lot of satisfaction.

Taijul, who had bowled 17 overs before tea, is on from the other end. He beats the outside edge of Shreyas Iyer with one that pitches on middle and leg, draws him forward before spinning past the edge. He continues to impress, does Taijul.

Welcome back. Pujara and Iyer are ready to resume. 34 overs are left in the day. Ebadot to kickstart proceedings after the break. Pujara on strike. A slip, a gully, and a short midwicket in place for him. Ebadot bowls a short ball, and Pujara moves to 46 by rocking back and punching the ball through covers for four.

Four from the first over after the break.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer have got a partnership going. They’ve added 62 so far. India lost one wicket for 89 in the second session. Left-arm spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Taijul Islam bowled in tandem at the two right-handed batters, who have picked up the scoring rate in the last hour. Iyer, in particular, has looked to score off the Bangladesh spinners while Pujara’s been his usual self - rock solid. With tea approaching, Yasir Ali, right-arm off break, came into the attack and conceded 7 in his first.

Mind you, India still has Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin to come after this, both of whom are no mug with the bat.

Back in 20.

Shakib isn’t getting as much purchase from this pitch as Taijul, who bowls an absolute gem of a ball to beat Pujara’s outside edge and the off stump. Drift, turn, it had everything. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer brings up the 50 partnership with a lofted inside out drive over cover, off an overpitched ball from Shakib for four.

The partnership between Pujara and Iyer is now nearing 50. Both players have been patient and have cashed in on the loose balls. Since the last drinks break, Iyer has looked in better touch - those two boundaries off Mehidy should’ve settled him into a nice rhythm.

On another note, Shakib Al Hasan heard us, didn’t he? He brings himself on, replaces Mehidy. Two left-arm spinners bowling to two right-handers. Oh hold on, looks like there was a drop in Shakib’s over. Iyer rocked back to cut and missed. Nurul has dropped a tough chance. Iyer was on 30.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam is back into the attack. His figures before this over - 10-4-34-2. Taijul replaces Khaled. Taijul starts his new spell with a maiden. Interestingly, Shakib has bowled only one over so far. With two right-handers at the crease, you’d imagine now might be a good time to operate with two LA spinners. The commentators on air are saying that Shakib may not be a 100 per cent fit. He was pinged on the ribs by Umran Malik during the ODIs and apparently also has a dodgy shoulder. That may have contributed to Shakib not bowling.

Pujara has a boundary, at last, the fourth of his patient innings, in the 41st over. Khaled bowls a short delivery, and one of the rare occasions when the ball climbs up outside off, and Pujara guides it to the third-man fence. Meanwhile, Iyer gives Mehidy Hasan Miraz the charge in the 42nd over and lofts him over the infield for four to long-on. He then works one off the backfoot on the on side and collects couple. He ends the over with a cut shot through offside for four. 10 off that Mehidy over.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz has Shreyas Iyer in a tangle as he gets an inside edge between his legs for a couple. Playing away from his body to a length ball outside off that spun back. Mehidy has been exceptional since lunch.

Shreyas Iyer at the other end has not been allowed to get going against the pacers. Ring field combined with a stump-to-stump line has kept the flamboyant right-hander quiet thus far. Iyer has 8 off 23 balls and that includes the boundary off the outside edge he got off the first ball.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz testing Pujara’s defence against spin. Loud appeal for lbw off the first ball of the 38th, not given. Bangladesh do not review. Pujara will have to watchful here. There’s not much bounce on this wicket, so if he misses a ball within the stumps, odds are it will crash into the timber. Mehidy has now bowled two back-to-back maidens to Pujara.

Poor work from Bangladesh. Off the fourth ball of the 37th, Shreyas Iyer drove Ebadot Hossain through off-side and took off for a single. Iyer called for a second and Pujara was struggling. A direct hit and Pujara would have been out. There was no one at the stumps to collect it.

After Taijul vs Pujara in the first session, it’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz vs Pujara in the second. Against offspin, Pujara’s focus is on getting as close to the pitch of the ball as possible to drive through mid-on or the covers. Pujara’s quick feet will pose challenges to Mehidy, who has a slip, short and leg slip for the Indian vice-captain. Pujara has scored just 6 off the 18 balls he has faced from the offie so far. Against left-arm spinner Taijul, Pujara preferred to stay rooted to the crease.

Pant sweeps a full toss around middle and off over midwicket for his 50th six in Test cricket before chopping on off the very next ball. Mehidy Hasan Miraz gets the big breakthrough and India slip further after a brief respite. And new man Shreyas Iyer is very nearly caught at first slip off the first ball - he drives but gets an outside edge that evades Yasir and goes for four. More on that Pant dismissal from our man on the ground, Sudarshan: “That was the second time Mehidy bowled a ball that held its line. Pant shouldered arms the first time, but this one was on the stumps, and the low bounce did the trick”

The second session gets underway in Chattogram. Ebadot and Mehidy in tandem. Pujara got a reprieve on the second ball after lunch off the bowling of Ebadot. He was dropped by Nurul on 12. What’s worse? It went for four. Meanwhile, Pujara and Pant have added 50 for the fourth wicket.

That’s Lunch on Day 1. Pant doing what Pant does best - taking the attack to the Bangladesh spinners, especially Taijul, who have bowled brilliantly. Gill, Rahul and Kohli fell in fairly quick succession but Pant’s arrival has forced Bangladesh to open up the field and Pujara has benefited from it. Meanwhile, Pant went past 4000 international runs with a four off Taijul in the last over before lunch. Pujara followed it up with a cut shot for four in the same over. Rishabh Pant is batting on 29 off 26, Pujara on 12 off 32. Taijul so far - 10-4-34-2. We will be back with the second session shortly.

Pant was sent to do this and he is doing it now - taking on Taijul’s left-arm spin with a four and a six close to lunch. Taijul was bowling around the wicket with a short leg and short midwicket. There were men in the deep but when has that ever discouraged Pant from clearing the rope? As expected, with the left-hander Pant at the crease, Mehidy to bowl his offbreaks. Pant sees width from Mehidy and cuts it disdainfully for four. 7 from that Mehidy over. Here’s Sudarshan chiming in from Chattogram: “Taijul is bowling beautifully. Foxed Kohli completely. On replay, it would seem like a lazy shot, but Taijul’s length was deceptive there. The Taijul-Pant face-off should be interesting. Generally Pant tries to attack and stamps his authority against left-arm spinners.”

Taijul to Pant, bowls a short ball and Pant just pulls it away for four. There was a brief but loud lbw appeal against Pant off the fourth ball. Not given. Seemed like there was an inside edge. Meanwhile, Khaled getting an extended spell, bowling his eighth over, which goes for one run. After that rather solid start, the Indian batters have been tied down with the scoring rate under 2.5.

Taijul’s on fire! What a ripper to get rid of Kohli. Squares him up and hits him in front of the stumps. Kohli is given out but he reviews after a brief word with Pujara. To his disappointment, it’s three reds and Bangladesh are on top here! Kohli goes for 1! That looked plumb the minute it hit his pads. India have promoted Rishabh Pant to counter the left-arm spin of Taijul, who has bowled yet another wicket-maiden. Bangladesh had put deep mid-wicket and long-on straightaway.

KL Rahul has chopped on! Khaled has bowled brilliantly in this spell - stump-to-stump , no freebies. He teases Rahul with a slightly wide ball, Rahul falls for the trap and watches his stumps in disarray. He was perhaps undone by the lack of bounce on that one. Big blow. Rahul goes for 22. In comes Virat Kohli, whose last Test hundred was incidentally against Bangladesh during the D/N Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2019! Meanwhile, Khaled continues to be economical in his second spell with a big wicket to show for his discipline.

In case you were wondering - this two-match Test series is part of the World Test Championship. If India wins 2-0, it will strengthen its chances of reaching the final.

Taijul is bowling beautifully here. There is a hint of away-spin as Pujara gets a thick outside edge, trying to defend the first ball. There’s a slip, silly point and short midwicket in place for India’s No. 3. Pujara vs Taijul should make for a fascinating watch. Pujara has already come down to get to the pitch of the ball twice in the 16th over.

Did I just jinx Gill? He is caught at leg slip trying to play the paddle sweep off Taijul! Gill goes for a 40-ball 20. He would be gutted with himself. Cheteshwar Pujara, the vice-captain, in at 3. He will enjoy batting on this pitch. It’s a wicket-maiden for the left-arm spinner.

The pace of Ebadot Hossain and spin of Taijul Islam in tandem at the moment. From what we’ve seen so far, it was an extremely crucial toss to win. The odd balls have kept low and Bangladesh will be chasing in fourth innings on a deteriorating surface against a three-man spin attack. Should make for a lip-smacking contest. Meanwhile, another bowling change - Khaled Ahmed replaces Ebadot Hossain. How long before Shakib switches to spin from both ends? Gill and Rahul wouldn’t mind digging in and scoring big hundreds on his surface.

Bangladesh have realised that this isn’t the kind of wicket where you can attack with fast bowlers. The day began with three slips and a gully, and we are now down to one slip, one gully and three men catching at cover for Ebadot. Meanwhile, Taijul, who earlier bowled the first maiden over of the day, concedes three in his second over.

India’s ploy to play three spinners looks like a master-stroke, given how the pitch has played so early in the first session. This isn’t the wicket to bowl short and yet, that’s exactly what Ebadot Hossain does in the seventh over and Gill makes him pay. Gill first plays a half-punch between cover and point for four followed by an emphatic pull past midwicket. Shakib ringing in the changes. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam replaces his captain. Slip and short leg in place for Rahul. Taijul starts with a maiden.

Spin as early as the sixth over. Shakib Al Hasan comes into the attack, replaces Khaled. Shakib offers Rahul room outside off and the Indian skipper rocks back and cuts it through point for four. Easy pickings. Six from Shakib’s first over.

Ebadot Hossain has been a little wayward this morning. Hossain bowls a length ball outside off and Gill dishes out his trademark punch through covers for four more. Our man on the ground, N. Sudarshan, with some early observations: “Early signs of ball keeping low and not carrying to the keeper. Bangladesh bowlers, so far, haven’t bowled enough on the stumps.”

Two slips and a gully for Ebadot too as he follows up a wayward first with a two-run over. The second slip moves to leg gully for Khaled, who goes full and wide of off first ball, only for Rahul to slash it wide of gully for four. Midway through that Khaled over, the leg gully is back to second slip now. Just four from that Khaled over.

Ebadot strayed on the pads in the first over and KL Rahul flicked it to the fine leg fence for his first boundary of the match. Khaled Ahmed, right-arm medium, is sharing the new ball. There are two slips and a gully for Khaled, who is bowling to Gill. Couple of balls have kept low in the second over. Gill digs out a yorker length ball and retains strike with a single off the last ball.

Right then, we are all set for the match to begin. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul will open the batting for India. Rahul will take strike. Ebadot Hossain has the new ball. Three slips and a gully in place. Session 1 to get underway.

KL Rahul has won the toss and India will bat first. India are playing three spinners and two medium-pacers.

India (Playing 11): Shubman Gill, KL Rahul(c), Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

Bangladesh (Playing 11): Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Litton Das, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain

Sanjay Manjrekar: “There’s a decent covering of grass, not to be confused with a green top. That will ensure the cracks don’t get bigger. There’s enough roughness for the spinners to make an impact from day three. Captain winning the toss will want to bat first.”

Six Tests left, two in Bangladesh and four at home against Australia. India will keep one eye on the World Test Championship points table. Even if it loses one Test and wins the remaining five, it will qualify for the final. Toss coming up shortly.

At what time will the toss for IND vs BAN 1st Test take place?

The toss for the first Test between India and Bangladesh will take place at 8:30 AM IST.

When will IND vs BAN 1st Test start?

The first Test between India and Bangladesh will begin on Tuesday, December 14.

Where will IND vs BAN 1st Test be played?

The first Test between India and Bangladesh will be held at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram.

Jaydev Unadkat is out of contention for the first India-Bangladesh Test starting at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram, on Wednesday, as the pacer has not managed to reach Bangladesh due to visa issues.

India: KL Rahul (c), Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, K.S. Bharat, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, Yasir Ali, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Zakir Hasan, Rejaur Rahman Raja, Anamul Haque.

India and Bangladesh will face off in a two-match Test series, starting on Wednesday, December 14. The first Test will be played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram from December 14-18 while the second Test will be held at the Shere Bangla National Stadium from December 22-26.

After 11 matches between the sides in the longest format, India is yet to lose a Test match against Bangladesh. The last time the two teams clashed in Tests, it was a historic occasion as India hosted its first-ever pink-ball Test at the iconic Eden Gardens in November 2019.