India threw out Bangladesh for 324 on the fifth and final day, winning the first Test by 188 runs and taking a 1-0 lead in the two-game series here on Sunday.
Bangladesh added 52 runs in 11.2 overs in the morning session, losing four wickets in the process after continuing the day with 272 for six while chasing an unlikely 513 for a win.
Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav recorded his best match numbers of his career as India quickly ended Bangladesh’s second innings. He scalped two of the remaining four batters while Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel each took a wicket.
WHAT. A VICTORY!#TeamIndia put on an impressive show to win the first #BANvIND Test with 188 runs
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/CVZ44N7IRe pic.twitter.com/Xw9jFgtsnm
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 18, 2022
Kuldeep, who made an impressive five-wicket catch in the first innings, added three more wickets in Bangladesh’s second innings to finish with match numbers 8-113.
“I love bowling with Kookaburra balls, they give me better grip and control compared to the SG balls,” said Kuldeep after the win.
“If I hadn’t played cricket it would have been very challenging, but I’ve played a lot of white-ball games. I played IPL and matched red ball India A, so my rhythm was set.
“I could bowl with an aggressive approach and that rhythm takes extra effort and it takes a toll on the body,” he said.
“I enjoy playing cricket in all formats for India, nothing compares to that pride. When I’m not playing, I keep training to keep the confidence in matching, but I stay relaxed,” he added.
Kuldeep was ably assisted by left-arm spinner Patel, who finished the second innings with counts of 4 for 77.
With this win, India moved up to third place in the World Test Championship points table, relegating Sri Lanka to fourth place.
India now has 87 points with 55.77 percent (PCT), while Sri Lanka has 64 points and 53.33 PCT.
Australia tops the table with 75 PCT, followed by South Africa (60 PCT)
With a score of 276 to 6 on the night, Bangladeshi skipper Shakib-Al-Hasan started full steam ahead again, knowing full well that simply surviving the whole day wouldn’t be easy.
He went to 84 points for his shots, peppered with six fours and as many hits over the fence in his 108-ball stint.
But the Indians played the patient game. KL Rahul, who claimed his first test win as a skipper, started with a pace spin combo of Siraj (1/67) and Patel.
Bangaldesh batters got off to an aggressive start as Mehidy Hasan drove Miraz Siraj delightfully through cover in his first over for the first boundary of the day.
At the other end, Shakib made his intentions clear and hit Patel over a square leg.
But Siraj had his man in his next over when Mehidy fell to a loose shot.
Siraj again splashed the ball outside the stump and Mehidy only managed to hit the delivery straight to Umesh Yadav at the back point.
Shakib brought up his 30th Test fifty with a straight six from Patel.
Shakib took his chances but the request was too great when Rahul introduced Kuldeep as the first substitution and the left-arm spinner picked up two wickets in back-to-back overs while Patel picked another as India ended Bangladesh’s stubborn resistance.
Kuldeep first cleaned up Shakib when the batter went over extra cover for another slog sweep, then let Shreyas Iyer catch Ebadat Hossain.
Axar completed the formalities by going through the defense of Taijul Islam.
The second and final test begins on December 22 in Mirpur.
Short scores:
India: 404 and 258/2.
Bangladesh: 150 and 324 all in 113.2 overs (Zakir Hasan 100, Shakib Al Hasan 84; Axar Patel 4/77, Kuldeep Yadav 3/73).
With PTI inputs
