Kanpur, Sep 28 (IANS): The first two sessions of the second day of the ongoing second Test between India and Bangladesh have been washed out due to persistent rain in Kanpur on Saturday.
The covers have been placed at Green Park Stadium since the morning and there was no attempt to even remove them once as rain plays hide and side with dark clouds over the sky making it worse for the resumption of play. The super soppers are in the middle to remove water from the covers as rain has stopped for now.
There has been no official update from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the start of play or the inspection as the forecast suggests no sign of improvement during the day.
Meanwhile, both the teams and match officials have travelled back to the hotel and chances of any action in the day are very slim.
Earlier, Bangladesh left at 107/3 in 35 overs in the rain-marred opening day after India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first.
After a delayed start due to a wet outfield, India capitalised on seam-friendly conditions early on, but the visitors slowly clawed their way back into the contest, thanks to a promising partnership between Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque.
Rohit’s decision to bowl first paid off immediately as pacer Akash Deep, who has been on a roll, made early inroads. He struck twice in his first spell, leaving Bangladesh at 33/2. Zakir Hasan fell for a duck, undone by a beautiful delivery from Akash that angled in and shaped away late, edging to Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully for a stunning low catch. Shadnam Islam followed soon after, trapped lbw by Akash in a decision that was initially given not out but overturned upon review, thanks to Rohit’s smart use of DRS.
Bangladesh were reeling at 78/2 on lunch with their hopes for recovery rested on their captain Shanto and the experienced Mominul Haque. Both batters weathered the Indian pace attack, with Mominul gradually finding his rhythm and displaying some lovely stroke play.
Shanto, on the other hand, played with solid technique to grind out runs on a pitch that appeared to be flattening out as the day progressed.
However, it wasn’t long before Ravichandran Ashwin worked his magic. India’s ace off-spinner broke through Shanto’s resistance with a clever arm-ball, luring the Bangladeshi skipper into playing for spin before trapping him lbw.
Shanto’s dismissal for 31, just when he seemed set to anchor the innings, was a blow to Bangladesh’s hopes. Mushfiqur Rahim was then tasked with steadying the ship alongside Mominul. The afternoon session saw Bangladesh show signs of recovery, with Mominul playing some aggressive shots, including a couple of boundaries, to relieve the pressure.
The early stoppage was a relief for India, as the Bangladeshi middle order, led by Mominul, was starting to assert itself. Mominul remained unbeaten on 40, with Mushfiqur at the other end.