India vs Bangladesh 2019, 1st Test: Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma combine to take team hat-trick on Day 1
Team India pacer Mohammed Shami narrowly missed out on a hat-trick on the opening day of the Indore Test against Bangladesh on Thursday. Shami dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim off the penultimate ball of the second session, beating him for pace and cleaning him up for 43.
Off the very next ball, he trapped Mehidy Hasan in front of the stumps meaning Bangladesh headed into tea at 140 for 7, but Shami was unable to claim a wicket with the first ball of his next over following the interval.
Although Shami missed out on a hat-trick, India managed to complete one as a team. Off the first ball of the post-tea session, Ishant Sharma sent back Liton Das for 21, having him caught by skipper Virat Kohli. Das' dismissal meant India had picked up wickets off three consecutive deliveries -- overs 53.5, 53.6 and 54.1.
Shami, who unfortunately missed out on a hat-trick on Thursday, had completed one during India's World Cup 2019 clash against Afghanistan. Meanwhile, in the recent T20I against Bangladesh at Nagpur, pacer Deepak Chahar also claimed a match-defining hat-trick.
Earlier in the year, Jasprit Bumrah had also picked up three wickets in three balls during the 2nd Test against West Indies in Jamaica.
Coming back to the Indore Test, India showcased their dominance on the opening day of the match. Bangladesh won the toss and decided to bat first, but found themselves in big trouble at 31 for 3 as Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Shami combined to get some early breakthroughs.
Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque and Rahim then led a fightback of sorts for the visitors courtesy a 68-run stand for the fourth wicket. Ashwin broke the partnership by cleaning up Mominul for 37 and then added the scalp of Mahmudullah for 10, beating the batsman’s defence.
Shami then claimed two in two and Bangladesh eventually crumbled for just 150 in 58.3 overs.
In reply, India lost the in-form Rohit Sharma early as he edged a delivery from Abu Jayed to the keeper for 6. Mayank Agarwal (37 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (43 not out) steadied the ship and guided India to 86 for 1 at stumps.