Credit where it’s due, Bangladesh didn’t just roll over and die – and India were not expecting that

After a particular day’s play of any Test match, it is easy to predict who will be addressing the post-stumps press conference. Usually, it is the player (from both teams) who performs the best, apart from the captains who tend to do the post-match conferences.

The break from routine comes when a team suffers an indifferent day in the field. Then, a member of the support staff – even the head coach – is put in the firing line.

Saturday was one such day for team India, as assistant coach Sanjay Bangar came to address the gathered media.

“Credit to their batsmen. They didn’t allow our bowlers to build enough pressure and scored regular boundaries. Such pitches teach you patience and discipline. But, I don’t think our bowlers did too much wrong,” he said, after the day’s play.

Even so, it did reflect on the immediate mood of the dressing room. The hosts were unable to take as many Bangladesh wickets they would have liked. Truth told, facing a total of 687/6 declared on the board, many expected the visitors to just roll over and die. Even the Indian players would be forgiven if they thought so. But the Tigers had different plans.

Plenty of fight left in this Bangladesh team

Sure, the gulf in class was visible when India were batting. The opposition bowlers lacked any penetration as Virat Kohli and company made merry. Some part of the blame on the visiting attack’s behalf is also to be apportioned to the pitch as well. It has been a flat beauty, and they came under the pump from the world’s best batsman and his cohort.

The wicket is the balancing act herein. This pitch is still quite good to bat on. Yes, the odd ball from the spinners is kicking up and turning. But overall, it needs only some discipline and application to get the better of even a five-pronged attack. As such, this was the hour when Bangladesh needed to seize their chance and fight, as they had promised to do before the commencement of this Test.

It did not really augur well that they lost Tamim Iqbal to a run-out in only the third over of the day. His attacking stroke-play could have given them much needed early impetus and perhaps reduced the margin of runs a bit more. His dismissal, though, only added to the mountain of runs ahead of them. And when they were reduced to 109/4, the writing seemed to be on the wall.

At this juncture, their two most experienced batsmen came together. Mushfiqur Rahim is a very engaging personality. There is certain unpredictability about him – say, celebrating before a win, or even a stumping. Braving an onslaught from the opposition when he is the captain and they are amassing runs. And of course, leading his side with a bravado that is now symbolic with how Bangladesh play their cricket. Yet, in a surprising manner, he holds it all together in the pint-sized package he is.

“This is an opportunity for us to show how much we have progressed,” he had said, in the build-up to this Test. With the bat in hand, it was his chance to show that the Tigers are no pushovers. With Shakib Al Hasan at the other end, he was able to bide his time and play out deliveries without worrying about the score. Perhaps he did need to worry about their running-between-the-wickets at times, yet this was destined to be Bangladesh’s day. Somehow, the duo survived those mad calls for deadly singles.

Should Shakib have played that shot?

Ah, but that’s the way Shakib plays. Or, in his words: “Of course, I wanted to get a double hundred again after New Zealand, but it doesn’t happen simply by thinking. So I am not going to change my style of play. It is who I am.”

This reply was in reference to the shot he got out to, lobbing a simple catch to mid-on, when he was set on his way to a hundred. Back in Bangladesh, it goes without saying, that there would be many who would have wanted him to carry on. Such expectations take away the essence of the player, bleed them dry off the natural passion for the game, and ultimately dull the moments of celebration reserved for fans.

Maybe in the neutrals’ eyes he threw away his wicket. Maybe, in his eyes, he didn’t. The underlying point though he is did enough to provide a platform for someone to graft along with Rahim. And this is where the 19-year-old Mehedi Hasan Miraz stood up and delivered his maiden Test half-century.

Should Kohli have picked Jayant Yadav?

His unbeaten knock provided the only element in India’s efforts that can be up for debate here. Kohli did well to rotate his bowlers, and set attacking fields, for he had the luxury of a huge total behind him. Herein though, you need to question if it was a fair call to go in with three pacers, especially since he opted to bat first and win the toss. Is it possible that India erred in not picking a third spinner, Jayant Yadav, instead?

It is highlighted further when you see how Mehedi Hasan handled Ravichandran Ashwin in the final session. Five of his ten fours came against the off-spinner, using his feet well and flicking the ball. In their 87-run stand, he and Rahim hit 16 fours. Those 64 runs, all of them coming in boundaries, did not allow the Indian bowlers to plug at them with sustained pressure.

This was the single-biggest reason why India returned empty handed in that final session, and will have to regroup overnight, push harder on Sunday even, to force surrender from Bangladesh going ahead in this Test.