Images from Day 2 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh in Indore.
Opener Mayank Agarwal scored his second double and third Test century as India seized complete control of the opening five-day match of the Bangladesh series, in Indore, on Friday.
Courtesy Agarwal's career-best unbeaten 243 off 330 balls, in his eighth Test, and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane's 86 off 172 balls, India ended Day 2 of the Test on 493 for 6, a commanding lead of 343 runs, having bundled out Bangladesh for a paltry 150 in the first innings on the first day.
Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav were unbeaten on 60 and 25 respectively at close of play.
Agarwal's partnership of 91 for the second wicket with Pujara and 190 for the fourth wicket with Rahane were crucial in the context of India's innings. A whirlwind partnership of 123 in 23.5 overs with Jadeja for the fifth wicket later only added insult to injury for Bangladesh.
The match could be over inside three days if India declare overnight.
Agarwal, who hit 28 fours and eight sixes, during the course of his brilliant knock, posted the second-highest score against Bangladesh in Test cricket after Sachin Tendulkar’s 248. He already had a double hundred to his name and once he reached 150 television cameras showed an elated Virat Kohli raising two fingers, indicating that he should carry on and hit another one. He did just what his captained ordered.
He completed his double century with a six, his sixth in the innings, and became only the second player, after Rohit Sharma, to bring up a 'double' with a maximum.
His magnificent effort was after Kohli endured a rare failure with the bat, getting out for naught to Bangladesh's best bowler Abu Jayed (4/108), who also dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara (54 off 72).
Playing with only four bowlers, Bangladesh paid the price as pacer Ebadot Hossain and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam were rendered ineffective by the Agarwal-Rahane duo, who made batting look easy.
On a pitch where the Bangladeshi batsmen struggled on the first day, Agarwal hit boundaries and sixes at will.
In the post-lunch session, an inside-out six off Taijul was a shot to remember. Agarwal was also severe on Mehidy Hasan Miraj, hitting him for a couple of sixes and a few boundaries.
By the time Bangladesh took the second new ball, there were drooping shoulders all around, an indication that they have already resigned to fate. The energy level on the field also saw a significant dip.
Rahane, who is in fine form since the tour of the West Indies, also brought in his years of experience en route his 21st Test half-century. He also reached an individual milestone, scoring 4000 runs in his 62nd Test match. His innings is so far was studded with eight boundaries.
Having flayed the Bangladesh attack that mostly looked pedestrian, Agarwal and Rahane were aiming to build on the lead so that India can wrap it up within three days, considering the brittle batting line-up of the opposition.
However, it was a disappointing Friday morning for the 10,000-odd spectators, who had come to watch skipper Kohli. He was dismissed by Bangladesh's best bowler on view, seamer Abu Jayed (3/58 in 13 overs) for a duck.
Early into the innings, Jayed bowled an off-cutter and then got a successful DRS appeal for leg before, denying India’s captain an opportunity to trouble the scorers.
In the morning, Jayed was unlucky when Pujara was dropped by Mehidy at gully. The Saurashtra right-hander promptly square cut the next to complete his 23rd Test half-century.
But the drop did not prove costly as Jayed had him caught by substitute Saif Hasan at third slip after he had hit nine boundaries.
Bangladesh got brief joy when Kohli was dismissed cheaply, with India at 119 for 3 before Agarwal took charge of the situation.
His half-century came as he played the 'Nataraja' pull shot off Ebadot Hossain and then tackled Mehidy with ease.
He repeatedly used his feet to reach the pitch of the ball and loft the off-spinner over the mid-off region. One such shot got him the only six of the Indian innings so far.
Rahane also looked in good touch even though he battled cramps briefly before continuing his innings.
