Tendulkar, Dravid leave Bangladesh gasping by Jinu Sabastian

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Ground:	Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
Scorecard:	Bangladesh v India
Player:	RS Dravid, SR Tendulkar
Event:	India in Bangladesh 2009/10

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DateLine: 25th January 2010

 

The Indian batting line-up put up a dominant batting performance as the visitors ran up a mammoth total of 459 and in the process lost five wickets. For the Indians the batting revolved around the centuries of Tendulkar and Dravid while Sehwag and Gambhir chipped in with valuable half-centuries.

 

Resuming at 69 for no loss, the openers Sehwag (56, 63 balls, 8x4) and Gambhir (68, 83 balls, 8x4) were aggressive from the word go. The pair punished any deliveries that strayed in line as the Bangladeshi bowlers had no answer the onslaught. The pair added 103 runs in 20 overs before Shahadat Hossain produced a lifter from nowhere to surprise Sehwag who gloved it behind. Gambhir was well on course for a record equaling sixth century when this time Shafiul Islam produced a bouncer which the southpaw fended to Rahim behind the stumps.

 

That set the stage for Tendulkar-Dravid partnership that ground a toothless Bangladeshi attack to dust. The pair added 222 runs with both the batsmen crossing their respective centuries. Rahul Dravid equalled Sir Donald Bradman when he reached his 29th Test century while Tendulkar continued to widen the gap between him and the rest of the contemporary batsmen as he registered his 45th Test century. It was looking omnious for the hosts when Shahadat Hossain got into the act again. Dravid (111 retired hurt, 188 balls, 12x4) failed to judge the bounce of a short one from the medium pacer and was struck on his ear-guard forcing the veteran to retire hurt. Tendulkar (143, 182 balls, 13x4, 1x6) though blended caution with aggression perfectly as he battered the Bangladeshi bowling into submission. He was finally dismissed when he tried to up the ante of the bowling of Shakib al Hasan which surprisingly brought in skipper MS Dhoni ahead of Yuvraj. Murali Vijay (30, 49 balls, 3x4) too fell in going for quick runs.

 

MS Dhoni (22 batting, 38 balls, 2x4) was on look-out for runs from the time he reached the crease as he collected two quick boundaries. With Bangladesh adopting a defensive field an boundaries hard to come by the Indian batsmen were content to pick singles. In the final over of the day Harbhajan (13, 23 balls, 2x4) fell when he went for a wild slash which he edged behind to Rahim as India ended the day at 459 for 5 with an overall lead of 226 runs