India bring Bangladesh back to earth

Kanpur: The seeds were sown on Monday and the fruits were borne a day later as mighty India wrapped a comprehensive win over a beleaguered Bangladesh, extending their home dominance to unimaginable levels.

First, the Indian batters went on a rampage on the fourth day where they scored at 8.22 runs an over to set up the game, which appeared headed towards a draw following two successive days of cancellation, beautifully. Then, their illustrious bowling colleagues completed the demolition job in outstanding fashion at the Green Park stadium. 

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (3/17) and spin kings R Ashwin (3/50) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/34) grabbed three wickets apiece as the Indians shot out a hapless Bangladesh for 146 in 47 overs in an extended morning session, leaving India with a token target of 95 runs.

That was never going to challenge an Indian line-up brimming with confidence and swagger and the hosts galloped to victory in 17.2 overs, securing a 2-0 triumph.

The smash-and-grab win was also India’s 18th successive series victory at home, further enhancing the legendary status of this current era who simply don’t know what defeat in their own backyard means. 

Resuming at overnight score of 26 for 2, and given India’s ruthlessness over the last decade, Bangladesh’s only hope on the final day was to try and survive and walk away with an honourable draw.

Easier said than done against a venomous attack comprising Bumrah, Ashwin, Jadeja, Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj. They needed application, discipline, determination and fortitude to negate them, more so when Indians are smelling blood.

Sadly, barring opener Shadman Islam (50) and Mushfiqur Rahim (37) to some extent, none of the others exhibited any of those traits and the hosts rolled them over quite easily in the end.

Ashwin, who was the Player of the Match in the opener and had already prized out two wickets on Monday evening, got India off to exactly the start they envisioned when he struck in the third over the day, dismissing first innings centurion Mominul Haque.

Ashwin and Bumrah then went all out against Bangladesh but Shadman and skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (19) resisted their charge with a stroke-filled 55-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Shadman confidently went for his shots, barely allowing Ashwin to settle into any rhythm. He swept and drove when the ball was full and cut when it was slightly short.

The Indians, though, never got flustered and stuck to their plans. They knew, given how Bangladesh have collapsed repeatedly in the three previous innings, one wicket would lead to two, probably three.

From 91/4 they slipped to 97/4 and the writing was on the wall for Bangladesh. Mushfiqur delayed the inevitable with the help of the tail-enders but the seasoned campaigner could only frustrate the Indians for about an hour.

Indians then kick-started their hunt for a series whitewash in almost the same manner they treated the first innings, just go after the bowling from the onset despite having two full session to get them. Bangladesh skipper Shanto, foreseeing the Indian blitz, operated with only seasoned spinners, seemingly protecting his young fast bowlers from a repeat carnage.

He spread out the field like it would be for a limited-overs game with four or five men patrolling the outfield but it didn’t stop the Indians from going on the overdrive. Young gun Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed a 45-ball 51 — his second half-century of the match — while Virat Kohli hit a free-flowing 29, giving the boisterous Kanpur crowd exactly what they wanted, a resounding win.