India seize momentum as Bangladesh look for respite

Near the end of second day's play in the Chennai Test, Shakib Al Hasan was squatting at the bowling crease in between deliveries to possibly relax his tired legs. Bangladesh had bowled in the morning session and removed the India tail with relative ease but were then themselves dispatched in 47 overs, leading to another day in the field -- this time under the hot Chennai sun. In between, the game has slipped from away from Bangladesh within just two days at Chepauk, with India's lead standing at a mammoth 308 runs and with seven second innings wickets remaining for the hosts.

The start of the Test had been very promising on Thursday. Bangladesh had bowled in favourable seaming conditions to dismiss the India top-order before a rearguard action from Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja allowed the hosts to get on top on Day 1.

But having bowled India out in the first session yesterday, Bangladesh got the best possible batting conditions that Chepauk might offer in this ongoing Test. Yet, a top-order stumble saw Bangladesh skittled out for 149 runs before India sent them back into the field without enforcing a follow-on.

Bangladesh have been regularly exposed against the new ball whenever there is movement on offer. They might have seen off the new ball in Rawalpindi against Pakistan before rearguard action from Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Liton Das, but against a quality Indian attack, no such resistance developed, especially with Shakib Al Hasan and Liton succumbing to poor shot selection after a 51-run stand had pulled the team out of the initial slump against the new ball.

"As a team we all are disappointed in our batting and we could have done much better than that. Yes, there was help [in the wicket for bowlers] but we could have done better," Taskin Ahmed said at the post-day press conference.

Earlier in the morning session, Taskin had been in good rhythm with the ball, helping the visitors restrict India to 376. He denied Jadeja a century before removing centurion Ashwin in a three-wicket display before Hasan Mahmud got his fifth to become the first Bangladesh bowler to get a fifer in India in Test cricket.

Taskin produced good bounce in India's second innings to remove skipper Rohit Sharma and make early inroads. Nahid Rana removed Yashasvi Jaiswal and Miraz got the prized scalp of Virat Kohli as the hosts ended the day at 81 for three.

The Bangladesh bowlers made their case despite being on the field for majority of two days, however, the batters left the game slip, with little room for turning things around as India are well and truly on the driving seat.