Rain dampens exciting day

The surprisingly clear sky in the morning, the turn-up of a decent and enthusiastic holiday crowd, India's thirst for quick runs and a crafty bowling performance from two of the Bangladesh spinners -- Shakib Al Hasan and Jubair Hossain -- injected life into an otherwise rain-curtailed third day of the one-off Test in Fatullah.

Only 47.3 overs were bowled in the two stop-start sessions before a spell of heavy rain forced an early tea break and eventually compelled the umpires to call off the day's play.

Shakib Al Hasan returned with a four-wicket haul after an ordinary showing against Pakistan, while young leg-spinner Jubair Hossain took two scalps, including the prized one of Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who failed to read the googly and got bowled for only the fourth time in his Test career.

India seemed to be in one-day mode in an attempt to make up for the lost time due to rain and rode on Murali Vijay's 150 and Ajinkya Rahane's punishing 98 off 103 balls. They finished on a comfortable 462 for six.

223 runs were hammered off 47.3 overs. If the rains stay away and Bangladesh's batsmen get nervous, the match might yield a result, but the weather forecast isn't promising.

Resuming the day on 239 for no loss, Bangladesh needed wickets and Shakib provided the breakthrough by removing left-handed Shikhar Dhawan for 173 runs.

Dhawan came down the track and looked to flick the ball, but only managed to edge it back to the bowler. Shakib gracefully accepted the return catch and became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take 100 wickets at home.

Shakib, who looked to regain his bowling rhythm and tried to loop the ball more, was quick to find his second triumph as Rohit Sharma went for a big drive through cover but the ball beat the inside edge and crashed into the off stump.

Jubair, who got a place in the side after tussles between the selectors and the team management, made an impressive attacking partnership with Shakib and took the big wicket of Kohli with a googly before lunch.

India lost three wickets before lunch but managed 159 runs in 37 overs with Vijay reaching his sixth Test hundred. As the morning session ended, it began to drizzle. That was when the game went on stop-start mode, as the rains arrived in spurts. Despite the dull weather, Shakib shone and struck again by dismissing Vijay when play resumed after a 14-minute break. Within 6.2 overs, India lost two more wickets to Shakib and Jubair before rain had the last say.