In a remarkable display of clinical bowling and strategic brilliance, India took significant strides toward securing a win on the fifth morning of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. The visiting Bangladeshi team self-destructed under the pressure, losing their remaining eight wickets in a single session that stretched close to three hours. This collapse left India with an easily attainable target of just 95 runs to wrap up the match.
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the key architects of Bangladesh’s downfall, each claiming three crucial wickets. Bumrah’s figures of 3-17 were particularly impressive, complemented by Jadeja’s effective 3-50 spell. The duo was supported by a series of questionable shot selections from Bangladesh’s batsmen, who failed to mount a meaningful resistance.
Beginning the day with a slim deficit of 26 runs, Bangladesh’s primary goal was to erase this gap and establish a defensible lead. However, this plan quickly unraveled. First-innings centurion Mominul Haque fell prey to a well-devised plan orchestrated by Rohit Sharma. Anticipating Mominul’s penchant for sweep shots, India placed a leg slip, effectively nullifying his favorite paddle shot. When Mominul attempted a hard sweep, he misjudged the ball, resulting in a sharp catch by KL Rahul at leg slip off Ravichandran Ashwin’s bowling.
Although this early setback destabilized Bangladesh, a temporary recovery ensued. Shadman Islam showcased positive intent and proficiency, accumulating boundaries through crisp, precise strokes. His adept defense and strategic shot selection seemed to set a solid foundation. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto also contributed, forming a half-century partnership with Shadman that offered a glimmer of hope for the visitors.
Just when it appeared that Bangladesh might steady themselves, the calm broke quickly into a storm. India introduced Ravindra Jadeja into the attack, a move that yielded immediate results. In his very first over, Jadeja exploited Shanto’s risky attempt at a reverse sweep, bowling him around his legs, and signaling the beginning of the end for Bangladesh.
. This was a critical juncture in the game as it opened the floodgates. Litton Das fell to an edge behind the stumps off a Jadeja ripper and Shakib Al Hasan offered a straightforward return catch soon after. From an initially solid 91/3, Bangladesh plummeted to 94/7 in the blink of an eye, with India’s bowlers breathing fire.
Jasprit Bumrah swiftly cleaned up the tail, dismissing Mehidy Hasan and Taijul Islam in consecutive deliveries. Mushfiqur Rahim, one of Bangladesh’s more experienced batsmen, attempted to postpone the inevitable by shielding last man Khaled Ahmed from the strike. His efforts provided only a brief respite. With the ninth wicket tumbling just shy of the lunch break, the match session was extended by a maximum of 30 minutes. Rahim managed to eke out a few runs, edging Bangladesh closer to the scheduled break. However, Bumrah had the final say. With the very last ball of the session, he delivered his signature off-cutter, deceiving Rahim who unwisely attempted a sweeping drive, leading to his stumps being dislodged.
This brilliant tactical execution underlined India’s dominance and left them at the cusp of victory. It was a fitting end to a session where India entirely outplayed Bangladesh, underlining their own formidable cricketing prowess and the visitor’s inadequacies under pressure.
Bangladesh’s innings crumbled at 146, leaving India needing only 95 runs to secure the victory. Such performances from Bumrah and Jadeja, paired with Bangladesh’s disappointing shot-making, set the stage for what promises to be a comprehensive win for India in Kanpur.
In brief, Bangladesh tallied 233 and 146 across their innings, with Shadman Islam’s 50 and Rahim’s 37 being the only notable contributions. For India, Bumrah’s 3-17 and Jadeja’s 3-34 stood out as pivotal in dismantling the visitors. India’s first innings score of 285/9 declared, primarily built on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 72 and KL Rahul’s 68, established the groundwork for this dominant position.