Ashwin became the fastest bowler in Test history to take 250 wickets
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
India will be brimming with confidence heading into the final day of the one-off Test in Hyderabad as they need to take just seven wickets to beat Bangladesh.
Starting off the day on 322/6, Bangladesh were unable to add any runs to their overnight score before Mehedi Hasan Miraz was clean bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a career-best 51, which came off 107 balls and included 10 boundaries.
Even though Bangladesh continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, captain Mushfiqur Rahim fought till the end, and surpassed his hundred in the process.
Bangladesh were ultimately bowled out for 388, which gave India a 299-run lead, when Rahim was caught behind off the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin for 127, which came off 262 deliveries and included 16 boundaries and two sixes.
Rahim is delighted after scoring his fifth Test century
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
With the wicket of Mushfiqur, Ashwin became the fastest bowler to take 250 Test wickets in history. Ashwin only needed 45 Tests to reach the milestone, while the previous record holder was Australia’s Dennis Lillee, who took 48 Tests.
Umesh Yadav was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja snapped up two wickets apiece. Kumar and Ishant Sharma, meanwhile, chipped in with one wicket each.
With a 299-run lead in hand, India were dealt two early blows as openers Murali Vijay and Lokesh Rahul were both sent packing by Taskin Ahmed for seven and 10 respectively.
Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli calmed things down with a 67-run stand before Kohli was removed by Shakib Al Hasan for 38.
Ajinkya Rahane made 28 before becoming Shakib’s second victim, but Pujara and Jadeja produced some late fireworks on the stroke of tea, which led to India declaring on 159/4 prior to the start of the final session.
Pujara ended up making 54 off 58 balls, which included six boundaries and a six, while Jadeja scored 16 runs.
Pujara made his 13th Test fifty
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Taskin and Shakib took two wickets apiece.
Chasing 459 to win, Bangladesh were put on the back foot early as Ashwin sent Tamim Iqbal packing for just three runs.
Soumya Sarkar and Mominul Haque steadied the ship with a 60-run partnership before Jadeja dismissed Sarkar for 42.
Just a few overs later, Ashwin got rid of Mominul for 27 and Bangladesh found themselves in a spot of bother.
Shakib and Mahmudullah guided Bangladesh safely to stumps with an unbeaten 28-run partnership.
Shakib finished on 21 off 42 balls, which included four boundaries, while Mahmudullah remained undefeated on nine.
Ashwin was the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Jadeja claimed one.
Bangladesh ended day four on 103/3 and will continue batting on Monday at 09:30 local time or 04:00 GMT.