Tigers show pace mettle but need another comeback

Hasan Mahmud's incredible showing nearly made the opening day of the Chennai Test Bangladesh's but after the fightback in the final session from India's Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, the visitors are need of a 'comeback' on the second day.

In the days leading up to the Chennai Test, the conditions had been hot and punishing, as is the norm in this part of the world. But in the morning of first day, the weather was gloomy and overcast, which the commentators termed peculiar.

The red soil in the wicket, which is usually an indication that there will be prodigious spin on offer in the later in the Tests, must have in the back of the mind of the Bangladesh think tank. Moreover, In 42 years, no visiting team had put India to bat first in India in a Test match.

But in the end, the weather dictated Bangladesh's plan, as they opted to bowl first, something India skipper Rohit Sharma said he would have done too.

The Tigers banked on their pace attack and Hasan in particular delivered, picking four wickets for 58.

Taskin Ahmed had an average day while Nahid Rana impressed with his pace and picked up a wicket as Bangladesh had India surprised and dazed at 144 for 6.

But as the day wore on, the wicket settled down under the afternoon sun and a seventh-wicket partnership between Ashwin and Jadeja slowly got India back in the game.

The partnership stands at 195, still unbroken, and India in the end reached 339 for 6 at stumps.

Even though the day ended in a disappointing manner for Bangladesh, the pace trio did make quite an impression on the Indian journalists who watched the match from the press box.

"In the first innings, pacers always come into play. I'm seeing a three-pronged pace attack for the very first time from Bangladesh as far as I am concerned. That is magical because unless you have a good pace attack, you can't step up in Tests," an Indian journalist told The Daily Star yesterday at the press box.

Chances are, the Tigers might have already enjoyed the best pace bowling conditions this match will have on offer and the going would get tough for the faster bowlers as the match progresses.

Hasan, who is one wicket away from claiming a second successive five-wicket haul in Tests, was still hopeful despite India's strong fight back. In his words, 'anything can happen'.

"We dominated the morning. Wicket has gotten better and bowlers are trying to keep runs in check. The momentum was with us and now it has shifted. That's cricket. Anything can happen now. We have to make a comeback tomorrow [today] morning," he said.

With a brand new cherry, Hasan and Co might just again make their case, carrying on the confidence gained from the series win against Pakistan and do something special in Chennai.