Tigers must channel Mominul’s resolve

It was a truly mesmerizing day of Test cricket yesterday, as the morning on the fourth day of the second Test in Kanpur saw the Bangladesh batters trying to dig deep before a barrage of shots from India led to a 52-run lead for the hosts.

As a result, against a quality attack and on a pitch with variable bounce, the pressure came rushing back on the visitors -- bundled out for 233 in the first innings and set to resume at 26 for two in their second -- to save the match on the final day today.

India, leading the series 1-0, knew how to use the conditions at the Green Park Stadium. Sources claim that grass was trimmed down by four millimetres a day before the fixture, and only half of it was left in the end. However, this was done with Bangladesh's pace trio from the Chennai Test in mind.

There was supposed to be help on the surface over the first two days, and picking three seamers attests to that, as sources knowledgeable about Ranji Trophy games informed. It was during the opening day that Mominul Haque shouldered the responsibility of keeping the innings together.

While the ball swung and seamed on that day and yesterday, with two days foiled by rain, Jasprit Bumrah and others bowled deliveries that tried to sneak in low. Mominul prevailed in both scenarios while keeping Ravichandran Ashwin at bay, who seems to have a knack for bowling unplayable deliveries often to left-handers.

Mominul's innings was about calculating the risk and reward of high-percentage shots. Yesterday, he swept spinners for fun and pulled comfortably on a much flatter deck, even if the bounce was not always true. He did it with a smoothness and authority that was not seen from the other Bangladesh batters.

He held his end, cutting anything loose, driving Ravindra Jadeja for six nonchalantly over the umpire's head to reach the 90s, and then sweeping Ashwin square to bring up his 13th Test ton. He has now become just the second Bangladesh batter to score a ton in India, and the 13th was also his second Test ton away from home.

His last tour of India was a tough one. Not many have forgotten Bangladesh's struggles, especially in the pink-ball Test in Kolkata, where Mominul got out for ducks in each innings. To turn around fortunes, clarity of shot selection was needed; there were no two minds about it.

And when it came to leaving the deliveries, he was certain about what to leave, only once giving a real opportunity to Virat Kohli at first slip when on 95. The cover drive he played off Bumrah on day one was so good it would have been a crime not to go on and complete a big score.

As someone who has often struggled for consistency, he applied himself better than the rest of the Bangladesh batters.

It was difficult to score on day one, but after two days of rain, when the sun came out, the wicket became batting-friendly, and Mominul cashed in to accelerate, providing Bangladesh with something to fight for.

The sweeps, especially against Ashwin, showed that Mominul has found his groove. He has found answers in the varying conditions present in this Test, but if Bangladesh are to make it to safety, a classic knock like the one Mominul played will be needed.