1st Test, India vs Bangladesh Day 3 preview: Three-day defeat looms for Bangladesh after Mayank double

India amassed 407 runs on Day 2 at Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore, to finish the day on 493/6. They now lead by 343 runs, and have as good as clinched a 1-0 lead in the series. At the crease are Ravindra Jadeja (60*) and Umesh Yadav (25*), and with R Ashwin left to bat, they may even want to go for a 300-run lead.

Bangladesh will have to put up a superhuman effort to make a match out of this. The first step will be to take the match to the fourth day, a task in which Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, and Mahmudullah will have to play key roles.

The day belonged almost entirely to Mayank Agarwal, who equalled Navjot Sidhu’s Indian record of 8 sixes in a Test innings en route a career-best 243. He dominated the spinners – Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz – with near-absurd ease, cutting and driving with panache to find boundaries at regular intervals.

The day began with Abu Jayed (4/108) having Cheteshwar Pujara (54) caught at slip and Virat Kohli (0) leg-before in a 7-ball phase. Things looked slightly challenging at 119/3, but Ajinkya Rahane (86) settled down, helping Agarwal put up 190 for the fourth wicket.

Jadeja joined in the fun after Rahane holed out to deep point to become Jayed’s fourth wicket. By then the fifth wicket had added 113 in just 131 balls. Thereafter, Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha, and Umesh opened up in a flurry of strokes. At one point it seemed Kohli may ask the jaded Bangladesh openers to bat an over or two of batting time, but they decided to bat on.

Key players

Mohammed Shami (India): Not only was Shami (3/27) was superb the first innings, he has also a superb record in the second innings (84 wickets at 22.03, a wicket every 41 balls). What They call him “second-innings Shami” for a reason.

Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh): Mushfiqur’s average of 52.70 against India (across 380 runs) is significantly better than what any of his teammates has mustered. If Bangladesh want to take the fight to the fourth day, their seniormost man has to rise to the challenge.

Brief scores

Bangladesh 150 (Mushfiqur Rahim 43; Mohammed Shami 3/27) trail India 493/6 (Mayank Agarwal 243, Ajinkya Rahane 86, Ravindra Jadeja 60*, Cheteshwar Pujara 54; Abu Jayed 4/108) by 343 runs.

Prediction

India to win the Test inside three days.