Shakib Al Hasan lauds captain Mushfiqur Rahim as both Bangladesh players provide stiff resistance against India

Tourists frustrate Indian attack to reach 322 for six in first innings at stumps on Day 3 of one-off Test, still 365 runs behind.

Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan scored his 21st Test fifty before getting out for 82 against India at Hyderabad on Saturday. Noah Seelam / Getty Images

HYDERABAD // Bangladesh frustrated the Indian attack to reach 322 for six in their first innings at stumps on Day 3 of the one-off Test on Saturday, still 365 runs behind.

India declared their first innings on Day 2 in Hyderabad at 687 for six.

Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten for Bangladesh on 81, while Mehedi Hasan Miraz was 51 not out. The pair has put on 87 for the seventh wicket after carefully negotiating the final session without loss, scoring 76 runs in 30 overs.

Rahim reached his 16th Test half century off 133 balls.

India took the second new ball as soon as it became available but posed little threat as Bangladesh passed 300 in the 97th over.

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Mehedi, 19, scored his first Test fifty off 102 balls, and coped well against India’s spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (1-77) and Ravindra Jadeja (1-60).

Rahim survived a couple of fiery overs from Ishant Sharma (1-54) before stumps.

“He likes those situations, standing up to the opposition,” Shakib Al Hasan said of Rahim. “He has that character, juggling batting, ‘keeping and captaincy.”

Earlier, Shakib (82) reached his 21st Test half century off 69 balls before playing a loose stroke while approaching his century and holing out to mid on off Ashwin.

Bangladesh started the day on 41 for one, and they lost Tamim Iqbal (24) to a run out in the third over of the morning.

Umesh Yadav (2-72) trapped Mominul Haque (12) lbw, and Mahmudullah (28) then added 45 runs with Shakib for the fourth wicket.

Ishant broke this partnership in the 35th over, trapping Mahmudullah lbw. The batsman went for a DRS review but the decision stood in favour of the bowler.

After lunch, Shakib and Rahim extended their fifth-wicket partnership to 107 runs, despite running mix ups in the middle. Rahim survived in the 50th over after he dived toward the crease, before his partner was dismissed.

“I don’t think I threw away my wicket,” Shakib said. “That’s my way of playing. I just want to contribute to the team any way possible. I am not going to change my style of play.”

After Shakib’s dismissal, Sabbir Rahman (16) added 29 runs with Rahim for the sixth wicket, before the former was trapped lbw by Jadeja.

Although only two days are left, India are not panicking.

“We didn’t too much wrong today,” assistant coach Sanjay Bangar said. “Credit to their batsmen who didn’t allow our bowlers to put pressure on them by hitting boundaries. Such sessions teach you patience and discipline.”

* Associated Press

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