Cricket:Classy centuries from Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar left India firmly in control on the second day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Dravid retired hurt on 111 after being felled by a short ball from Shahadat Hossain and Tendulkar made 143, the duo having set India on course for a formidable first-innings lead with an undefeated 222-run stand.
That partnership came on the heels of an opening stand worth 103 between Virender Sehwag (56) and Gautam Gambhir (68) as India ended the day on 459 for five, 226 ahead of Bangladesh’s first innings total of 233.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was batting on 22 when stumps were drawn after Harbhajan Singh was dismissed off the penultimate delivery of the day.
The home side, needing early breakthroughs and regular success to stay in this contest, were instead put through the mill as India steadily accumulated.
Sehwag and Gambhir’s stand lacked the usual frenetic pace, yet they made comfortable progress and ensured a steady flow of runs in the first session, in the process laying a solid foundation for the visitors.
Much against the run of play, Sehwag fell just after passing the half-century mark, a victim of a short ball from Shahadat.
Gambhir added 43 for the second wicket with Dravid but he too departed courtesy of a short delivery, presenting a second catch to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim off Shafiul Islam.
Those dismissals brought Tendulkar and Dravid together just before the lunch interval and the two remained inseparable through the afternoon and for much of
the final session, although both had offered the opposition a fair chance at their wicket.
Early in his innings, Dravid had received the benefit of the doubt when a drive from Gambhir crashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end, catching Dravid well outside his crease. Replays were inconclusive as to whether Shafiul got a touch.
Dravid was then caught off a no-ball while on 28, needlessly fending a short delivery from Rubel Hossain to Junaid Siddique at slip, but thereafter settled for a more steady approach.
Tendulkar too had initially shown similar lapses in concentration.
He was twice grassed by Raqibul Hossain at gully and survived a few inside edges early in his innings, one of which missed off stumps by a hair’s breath.
He was far more composed later in the afternoon session and cashed in nicely on a considerable number of deliveries pitched short and on leg stump from part-time spinners Mahmudullah and Mohammad Ashraful.
Tendulkar reached his 45th Test century, his second on this tour, while Dravid, a little slower, reached his 29th Test century with a crisply driven boundary to long-on.
The partnership had spanned a little over 51 overs when Shahadat, bowling with the second new ball, ended the stand, Dravid ducking right into the path of a short ball which didn’t bounce as much as the batsman expected.
He was rapped on the ear guard of his helmet and walked off the field immediately, although initial signs suggested he was more shaken than injured.
Tendulkar added 53 with Murali Vijay (30) before Shakib Al Hasan finally struck at the fag end of the final session to send back the master batsman.
Tendulkar, who had already hit Shakib for six in the over, advanced to cart the bowler over the top, but only picked out Imrul Kayes at midwicket.
Shakib then scalped Vijay in similar fashion and Harbhajan (13), sent in ahead of Yuvraj Singh, fell in the final over of the day, slashing at a delivery from Shafiul, but by then India were well in control.