In a gripping encounter at Kanpur, India placed itself on the brink of a comprehensive victory against Bangladesh on the final day of the second Test match. On the fifth morning, with India in pursuit of a win, Bangladesh found themselves unraveling as they lost their remaining eight wickets in the course of an extended first session. This left India with a manageable target of just 95 runs to achieve a memorable victory.
The architects of Bangladesh’s downfall were India’s fierce bowling duo, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja, who both claimed three wickets each. Bumrah’s figures of 3-17 and Jadeja’s 3-50 underscore the duo’s dominance with the ball. Their lethal deliveries compounded the complications faced by Bangladesh, whose batsmen fell prey to poor shot selection time and again. Excluding notable efforts from Shadman Islam, who scored an admirable 50, and contributions from Mushfiqur Rahim with 37 runs, the rest of the batting lineup seemed mostly ineffective and crumbled under pressure.
The day commenced with Bangladesh trailing India by 26 runs. An initial task for the visiting team was to overturn this deficit and craft a competitive lead without losing early wickets. However, such ambitions were thwarted early on when first-innings centurion Mominul Haque succumbed to a strategic field placement by Rohit Sharma and his team. Anticipating Mominul’s penchant for sweeping, a leg slip was tactically in place. When Mominul attempted a hard sweep, KL Rahul at leg slip was ready, capitalizing on the well-executed plan as he snared a precise catch off Ravichandran Ashwin’s delivery. This swift blow shook Bangladesh yet allowed them a short period of respite as they sought to stabilize.
Shadman Islam emerged with a positive mindset, dispatching crisp shots to the boundary. His defensive poise and discernment in leaving the ball were commendable.
. Team captain Najmul Hossain Shanto supported him adequately; the duo managed a half-century partnership, providing Bangladesh a temporary lifeline amidst the mounting pressures. Yet, the introduction of Ravindra Jadeja into the bowling attack transformed the match dynamics. Within his first over, Jadeja dismissed Shanto who attempted a poorly executed reverse sweep only to be bowled around his legs—a significant moment that ignited India’s charge.
With Shanto’s dismissal breaking the dams, Bangladesh’s innings quickly unraveled. Jadeja trapped Litton Das with a sharp delivery, subsequently followed by a simple return catch off Shakib Al Hasan. Shadman Islam’s exit came soon after reaching his half-century, undone by an ill-judged shot against the relentless pace of Akash Deep. The collapse saw Bangladesh slump from a comforting 91/3 to a precarious 94/7, as India’s bowlers seized control.
Jasprit Bumrah efficiently tackled the tail, swiftly dispatching both Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam in consecutive deliveries, pushing Bangladesh closer to defeat. Mushfiqur Rahim managed to extend the innings, maneuvering the strike with last man Khaled Ahmed. While Mushfiqur added some resistance, extending play into what would have been a lunch break, the inevitable conclusion was only delayed. Ultimately, Bumrah’s magnificent off-cutter, a specialty of his, clipped the top of Mushfiqur’s stumps with the final delivery of the session, ending Bangladesh’s innings and putting India in prime position for victory.
On the back of this commanding bowling performance, India has firmly established itself in the driver’s seat to seal the series win. Brief scores of Bangladesh’s innings stood as a testament to their impending collapse—233 in the first innings and 146 in the second, with commendable performances from Shadman Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim, whereas India’s bowling attack shone brightly with Bumrah and Jadeja spearheading. The sequence of events at Kanpur reinforced India’s formidable prowess and outlined an unchecked narrative of Bangladesh’s batting fragility. Bangladesh now trails to defend a lead of only 94 after India declared at 285/9, thus gaining a strong foothold in what promises to be a decisive phase of the Test match.