By Qaiser Mohammad Ali
IANS
Dhaka : The top four batsmen hit centuries – a world record – as India declared at 610 for three wickets and then the bowlers sent half the Bangladesh side packing to take firm control of the second Test on the second day here Saturday.
Wasim Jaffer (138, 229 balls, 17x4s), captain Rahul Dravid (129, 176 balls, 15x4s, 1×6), Dinesh Karthik (129, 212 balls, 16x4s) and Sachin Tendulkar (122 not out, 226 balls, 8x4s, 1×6) scored centuries – a feat that was not achieved in 130 years of Test match cricket before.
Later, pacer Zaheer Khan took three quick wickets to reduce the home side for 40 for five before they finished the day at 58 for five. With the cream of their batting gone, Bangladesh are banking on Sakibul Hasan (batting 30, 45 balls, 4x4s) and Mohammad Shairf (batting 0) to save them from total humiliation.
Bangladesh started their innings disastrously as left-armer Khan had Javed Omar caught by Karthik at the third slip with no run on the board. In the next over, left-arm pacer Rudra Pratap Singh induced an edge from captain Habibul Bashar (4) to wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to make it five for two wickets.
In the third over, Khan dismissed Shahriar Nafees (2) and Mohammad Ashraful (0) off successive deliveries, but Sakibul Hasan hit a boundary off the next ball to deny him what would have been his first hat-trick.
Although five centuries have been hit in an innings in Test matches, never have the top four batsmen hammered tons in 1,832 matches before this one at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The pitch is offering no help to the bowlers and the tough weather conditions are making their plight miserable. Batting has also not been easy in such conditions – starkly different from those in Chittagong, where rain ruled the roost in the drawn first match.
India have looked a far better side than Bangladesh, and the five-day match should be over much inside that period. If that happens it will be an unwanted farewell gift for Bangladesh coach Dave Whatmore, who is strongly tipped to be India's next coach.
Earlier, after starting the day at 326 without loss, with Dravid on 88 and Tendulkar on nine, India made their eighth highest total ever.
Dravid, who completed his 24th century in his 109th match, was also involved in a 100-run partnership with Tendulkar, who hit his second ton in two matches. The 400 of the innings was hoisted with Tendulkar's six off left-arm spinner Rafique.
Soon after that a tired Dravid tried to drive without getting to the pitch of the ball and ended up giving a catch to Javed Omar at point off Rafique.
Karthik, who had retired at 82 due to cramps Friday, came out to join Tendulkar, who reached his half-century off 99 balls. Karthik, watched by his wife Nikita from the stands, completed his maiden century (180 balls, 13x4s) off the very last ball before the lunch break, at which Tendulkar was batting on 63.
Having got 'lives' at 10 and 74 Friday, Karthik was again let off at 126 when a diving wicket-keeper Khaled Mashud spilled a difficult catch off pacer Mashrafe Mortaza. India were then 485 for one. After adding three more runs, Karthik mistimed a pull shot off Mortaza and Bashar caught the ball.
Sourav Ganguly (15) did not last long with substitute wicket-keeper Rajin Saleh grabbing a fine catch off Rafique.
As heat and humidity made their presence felt, Tendulkar was treated with ice packs, wet towels and fluids. Despite the unfavourable conditions, he completed his century off 200 balls (6x4s, 1×6) in the company of Dhoni.
Tea was taken at 528 for three as the batsmen and the fielders were visibly getting tired. Soon, Dhoni (51, 50 balls, 3x4s, 4x6s) livened up the proceedings as he smashed three sixes in one over from left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique.
Dhoni scored his fourth half-century, comprising a 'life'. When he was on 55, he lofted pacer Mohammad Sharif to long off where Shahriar Nafees positioned himself well to take the catch. But the ball popped out of his hands and spilled over to the boundary for a six.
With this six, Dravid declared the innings closed, and gave his bowlers 23 overs to make inroads into the Bangladesh innings.
Bangladesh used three wicket-keepers due to heat and humidity. Besides the regular Mashud, Saleh and Sakibul also kept wickets.
This is not unusual as in 1986, England had used four wicket-keepers against New Zealand at the Lord's, London, but that was due to injuries.
India's first-day total of 326 was the first occasion when the country had not lost a single wicket on the first day of a Test.
The total also bettered the world record of the highest score ever with no wicket falling on the first day, breaking Australia's 301 against England in Trent Bridge in 1989.
SCOREBOARD
Second Day, Second Test, India vs. Bangladesh, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka
India (1st innings, overnight 326/0):
Dinesh Karthik c Bashar b Mortaza 129
Wasim Jaffer retired not out 138
Rahul Dravid c Omar b Rafique 129
Sachin Tendulkar not out 122
Sourav Ganguly c Saleh b Rafique 15
Mahendra Singh Dhoni not out 51
Extras: (byes 7, leg byes 7, no balls 7, wides 5) 26
Total: (for three wickets declared in 153 overs) 610
Fall of wickets: 0-175 (Karthik retired not out, 52.5 overs), 0-281 (Jaffer retired not out, 76.6), 1-408 (Dravid, 108.2), 2-493 (Karthik, 129.5), 3-525 (Ganguly, 140.1)
Bowling:
Mashrafe Mortaza 31.4-4-100-1 (1nb, 4w)
Syed Rasel 23.4-0-109-0 (1nb)
Mohammad Sharif 25.4-2-109-0 (1nb, 1w)
Mohammad Rafique 45-4-181-2 (3nb)
Shakibul Hasan 19-1-62-0 (1nb)
Mohammad Ashraful 8-0-35-0
Bangladesh (1st innings):
Javed Omar c Karthik b Khan 0
Shahriar Nafees b Khan 2
Habibul Bashar c Dhoni b R.P. Singh 4
Rajin Saleh c Jaffer b Kumble 20
Mohammad Ashraful lbw b 0
Sakibul Hasan batting 30
Mohammad Sharif batting 0
Extras: (lb 1, nb 1) 2
Total: (for five wickets in 16 overs) 58
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Omar, 0.1 over), 2-5 (Bashar, 1.4), 3-7 (Nafees, 2.2), 4-7 (Ashraful, 2.3), 5-40 (Saleh, 10.4)
Bowling:
Zaheer Khan 5-1-20-3
Rudra Pratap Singh 5-0-19-1
Anil Kumble 3-1-13-1
Ishant Sharma 3-1-5-0 (nb 1)
Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Billy Doctrove (West Indies)
TV umpire: Nadir Shah (Bangladesh)
Reserve umpire: Monzur Rahman (Bangladesh)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)