Cricket: Rains Engineer A Draw For The India-Bangladesh One-Off Test!

It rained every day of the five days of the one-off Test match between India and Bangladesh at Fatullah. The second day's play was completely washed out and rains accounted for the loss of about 248 overs of the match, mind you, everyday you are supposed to play out 90 overs. This shows the poor planning of bilateral cricket series between the Asian neighbors. It was scheduled at a time when the South-West Monsoon hit India and advanced to most parts of the country. Besides, it was the only match that could be fitted into the madness. Now what will happen to the 3 one day internationals, nobody could guess. The first one is scheduled to start on June 18 in Dhaka.

Ashwin With Virat

The test, in its realized portions, went the way it was expected with India dominating in all fields of the game. Winning the toss and electing to bat first India had to fight primarily its main opponent--the rains--than the Bangladesh bowlers. India lost the first wicket only after scoring in excess of 250 runs. Both of the openers scored big centuries each--Shikhar Dhawan 173 and Murali Vijay 150. Thanks to rain India had to go on playing till the end of the third day making 462 for 6 wickets. On the morning of the fourth day India declared and afterwards Bangladesh struggled and struggled. The rain curtailed fourth day saw them still at 111 for 3 with Indian spinner R Ashwin in top form. The recalled spinner Harbhajan Singh too bowled tight. Therefore, if at least a full day's play was available on the final day, there was no harm in fancying an Indian victory.

However, when heavy overnight rains washed out first session's play today, a draw was inevitable. Even then, India put Bangladesh in some nail-biting moments by getting the hosts all out for a mere 256, lasting only for just 65.5 overs, and enforcing the follow-on. We cannot blame Virat Kohli now for not preventing Team India slipping down to No.4 in the ICC Test rankings. R Ashwin took 5 wickets and Harbhajan Singh 3 in the Bangladesh first innings. Bangladesh would really feel disappointed at not being able to avoid the follow-on, particularly after all the spice and expectations about their spirited performance. Mominul Haque too could not get his 12th consecutive Test fifty to equal AB de Villiers' record. Anyway, Bangladesh still has a lot to show in the three ODIs, rains permitting, of course.

The Scorecard:

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