1st Test, Day 4: Shanto, Hasan register fifties as Bangladesh make 119/0, trail India by 394 runs

Chattogram:  Left-handed opening duo of Najmul Hossain Shanto and debutant Zakir Hasan registered half-centuries as Bangladesh reached 119/0 at lunch and trail India by 394 runs on day four of first Test at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, here on Saturday.

On a pitch which seems to have slowed down greatly, India did find some turn and bounce, but it was insufficient to avoid a wicketless session. Shanto (64 not out) and Hasan (55 not out) showed tremendous application, resolve and patience to frustrate the Indian bowling attack and rendered them ineffective.

Resuming from 42/0 in 12 overs, Shanto began day four with back-to-back boundaries off Mohammed Siraj through an off-drive and flick through backward square leg, which also brought the fifty of the opening partnership.

Siraj got to beat Shanto on a few occasions, while Ravichandran Ashwin found the inside-edge of the left-handed batters. But a breakthrough still eluded India as debutant Zakir Hasan slashed through backward point off Umesh Yadav for a boundary.

Zakir then brought the shot of the session, going inside-out over cover off Ashwin. It prompted the off-spinner to change his plan as he switched to bowling from over the wicket and found the turn immediately to beat the outer edge of Shanto.

Shanto reached his fifty with a nudge through the off-side off Ashwin, and brought the century of the partnership with a fierce pull off Siraj through backward square leg.

Zakir, on the other hand, brought out the sweep against Kuldeep Yadav, before dancing down the pitch and whipping Axar Patel through mid-wicket, following it up by reaching his fifty on debut. He would again sweep off Kuldeep, before surviving an lbw appeal off Axar as Bangladesh got the session in their favour.

Brief Scores: India 404 in 133.5 overs and 258/2 declared in 61.4 overs (Shubman Gill 110; Khaled Ahmed 1/51) lead Bangladesh 150 all out in 55.5 overs and 119/0 in 42 overs (Najmul Hossain Shanto 64 not out, Zakir Hasan 55 not out) by 394 runs

–IANS