IND vs BAN 2nd Test Highlights: Ashwin, Iyer star in India’s thrilling win over Bangladesh

“You trust the guys in the middle during such difficult situations. We’ve played enough cricket to realise that someone will put their hand up to win us the game. But I’m not going to lie, there was a lot of tension in the dressing room. It was a tough wicket to bat on, they put us under pressure in both innings. It was a new-ball surface to some extent, once ball got softer, it was easier to score runs. It was a matter of who plays the new ball better. We did lose a few more wickets than ideal but we got the job done and will take the win.”

“It’s been a great competitive series. I have been working hard on my game. Played lot of first-class cricket and then worked a lot on my game, that’s what helped me score these runs (222 runs in 2 Tests). Sometimes, there is enough gap between Test matches, it helps you prepare. I think playing first-class cricket is really important for improving. You need to be mentally prepared and I believe that if you are strong mentally, and prepare well, you’ll be good.”

“We didn’t have much batting left. It was one of those games where we let the game drift whenever we could have shut it off. Shreyas batted beautifully. Sometimes these situations you feel like you have to get ahead of things, they bowled good lines and I felt that we didn’t trust our defences enough. Loved the way Shreyas batted.”

“Everyone contributed. We always knew that we had chance in Mirpur. Very good Test cricket, that’s what the crowds love to see. Both teams were really good. Credit goes to Shreyas and Ashwin, they absorbed the pressure well and built a partnership. We had 70-odd runs to play with, just needed one wicket. We can think of several ifs and buts, but I’m proud of the way we fought.“

The smiles are back in the Indian dressing room as from 74/7 it was the Iyer-Ashwin show as the duo forged a match-winning 71-run stand and denied Bangladesh their maiden Test win against India. Rahul Dravid congratulates Iyer and Ashwin and the team is relaxed as they are in line to play the World Test Championship final.

R Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer have dashed Bangladesh’s hopes of a maiden Test win against India as the duo forged a match-winning stand to help the visitors register a tense and thrilling three-wicket win. Ashwin finishes off proceedings with a boundary and the eighth wicket partnership helped India win the series 2-0.

The fifty-run partnership is up between Ashwin and Iyer and what a time it has come. Bangladesh was charging in and was in complete control when the duo took charge. Both batsmen showed assurance in the middle, calming nerves and bringing in all their experience to bring India out of the hole. It isn’t over yet but both batsmen will aim to take India home.

Ashwin has further brought the equation down by picking two boundaries -first, a neat leg glance to the fine leg boundary and then a thick edge as the ball flew past a diving Litton Das as Bangladesh’s ploy of introducing a pacer has resulted in leakage of runs. Advantage India.

The 100 is up for India and both Iyer and Ashwin have stitched a partnership with the former smashing Shakib for a couple of boundaries to ease nerves and bring down the equation to 39. Iyer is playing extremely well and his footwork against spin has been brilliant.

So far so good from Iyer and Ashwin as the duo has resisted the Bangladesh charge as the home side picked three wickets in the first hour of play to spring hopes of an emphatic Test win - their maiden in whites over India. Plenty of job for India and they don’t have the luxury of any further recognised batsmen in the sheds. With the crowd backing the home side, it will be a massive achievement if Iyer and Ashwin can pull off a win. Remember, there is plenty of time left in this Test match but at the moment, it’s Bangladesh who has the momentum.

Shreyas Iyer and R Ashwin are off the mark but they need to build a partnership to take India home. The batsmen’s skills and temperament will be put to test as Bangladesh is just three wickets away from registering a famous Test win. Iyer, in particular, will have to focus on the scoring as Bangladesh is not giving easy singles to Ashwin.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz picks a brilliant five-wicket haul and ends Axar Patel’s resistance and India is staring at a defeat as Mehidy has turned the Test on its head. The delivery was pitched on the leg, Axar tried to defend it but the ball hits his pads to knock down the leg pole. Absolute brilliant scenes in Dhaka and the crowd is loving it as Bangladesh is on the brink of registering a Test win.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz picks his fourth wicket and this time it’s the prized scalp of Rishabh Pant. India lost two wickets in the first 30 minutes and the entire stadium erupts as Mehidy traps Pant. What a delivery to get the man in form as Mehidy bowls a flatter delivery, Pant played for the turn but missed the ball and there was absolutely no chance that would have missed the stumps. Bangladesh is pumped up and they start the morning with a bang.

Pant picked his first boundary of the morning and so as Axar Patel with the India wicketkeeper-batsman skipping down the track, trying to disturb the rhythm of the spinners. Axar has been rock solid and is playing an important role with the bat. It’s a crucial passage of play and India needs to play out the period without losing a wicket.

Shakib strikes early and Unadkat burnt a review leaving India five down. He was given out LBW and it was only a question of whether the ball hit the pad or the bat and replays showed it was pad first and then the bat with the ball crashing onto the stumps. Rishabh Pant walks in and gets off the mark with a single.

Eventful first over as Bangladesh takes an early review and an umpire’s call has extended Unadkat’s stay at the wicket. The ball spun in to hit the pad first but the impact was outside off. The Saurashtra bowler then smokes Mehidy well over the deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

Shakib leads his team out after an animated huddle and out walk the batsmen - Jaydev Unadkat and Axar Patel. Mehidy Hasan Miraj will hold the key for Bangladesh and the home side looks in great enthusiasm, sniffing a Test win. It will be Mehidy to begin proceedings with Unadkat on strike. Here we go!

Right then we are all set for the day’s play to begin. It’s a warm day but is foggy but the conditions in the middle will be tough as both teams will aim to dominate the session.

India needs 100 runs and Bangladesh needs six wickets and a lot is rising on India as the World Test Championship place is at stake and it needs to win the match to make it to the final.

IND vs BAN 2nd Test: India on shaky ground at 45/4 in 145 chase on third day

With still 100 needed, India has two non-specialist batters at the crease, but with first-innings heroes in Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer still to come.

Even as the shadows started lengthening at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium here on Saturday, there was little to no inkling of any other result other than an Indian victory.

There was of course resistance from the Bangladesh batters in their second innings, with Litton Das (73, 98b, 7x4) and Zakir Hasan (51, 135b, 4x5) coming up with spirited displays to take the target up to 145.

However, on a pitch that was not necessarily crumbling, chasing a sub-150 score should have been straightforward. India has after all lost only once before pursuing a total this small – to West Indies at Bridgetown back in 1997, all out for 81 chasing 120.