India set a record first-innings run rate for any men's Test to keep their hopes of a series sweep over Bangladesh alive on day four in Kanpur. (More Cricket News)
India set a record first-innings run rate for any men's Test to keep their hopes of a series sweep over Bangladesh alive on day four in Kanpur
India set a record first-innings run rate for any men's Test to keep their hopes of a series sweep over Bangladesh alive on day four in Kanpur. (More Cricket News)
Having seen two days lost due to rain, India quickly went on the attack on a surface suited to spin, with Jasprit Bumrah knocking Mushfiqur Rahim (11) over for the first of his three wickets, ultimately finishing with figures of 3-50 at the close of Bangladesh's three-and-a-half-day first innings.
Mohammed Siraj (2-57) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2-45) also doubled up after Akash Deep had done so at the start of the innings on Friday, with Bangladesh bowled out for just 233 runs.
It was with the bat, however, that India really impressed.
The hosts set records for the fastest men's Test side to reach 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 runs, with none of the Sri Lankan bowlers able to slow them down.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal slogged 72 runs off just 51 balls faced before he was bowled cleanly by Hasan Mahmud, while there was also a quickfire half-century for KL Rahul, who hit seven fours and two maximums in his knock of 68 runs from 42 deliveries.
Virat Kohli fell narrowly short of his own half-century, scoring 47 from just 35 balls as Sri Lanka's expensive bowling continued, India ultimately declaring at 285-9.
The hosts likely required a couple of rapid wickets to give themselves time to seal victory on day five, but they got them through the brilliant Ashwin.
He trapped Zakir Hasan (10) lbw before crashing leg stump to dismiss Mahmud (4) with just five minutes of play remaining, leaving Bangladesh 26-2, trailing by 26 runs and surely playing for a draw.
Data Debrief: India set record pace
To say India were raring to get going with the bat on Monday would be an understatement. They scored at a rate of 8.2 runs per over through their 34.4 overs before declaring, the fastest rate ever recorded by any team in the first innings of a men's Test.
Now it is over to the bowlers to give them a chance to finish things off on Tuesday, and Ashwin – who took six wickets in the first Test – could be the man to lead them after scalping two huge wickets just before stumps.