Record-Breaking Cricket Match at Green Park, Kanpur
On a sun-drenched Monday, after two consecutive rain-saturated days in Green Park, Kanpur, India made a speedy comeback that saw the breaking of several Test cricket records. Rohit Sharma, the white-ball cricket sensation who has risen to prominence in the past years, replicated his success in red-ball cricket, scoring 23 from 11 balls. The Indian team mimicked Sharma's assertiveness, paving the way for the team to record its fastest 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 in men's Test. The team declared their first innings on 285 for 9 in just 34.4 overs following Bangladesh's bowling out for 233.
R Ashwin was able to muddle Zakir Hasan before nightfall and successfully bowl Hasan Mahmud, leaving Shadman Islam to falter on 3. Bangladesh ended the day at 26 for 2, trailing India by a further 26 in the second innings.
Preceeding this, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul scored quickfire fifties at 141.17 and 158.13 respectively, preparing the grounds for another Indian attack at Bangladesh's batters towards the end of the second-to-last day of the Test. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan pocketed four wickets each on a spin-friendly surface, despite days of overcast conditions and steady rain.
Accompanied by better weather, the pitch showed signs of better carry during the initial session, although some deliveries fell short due to the inherent nature of the black-soil surface. Jaiswal, however, was unfazed, setting off India's strong response with three consecutive fours against Mahmud who, ironically, had previously scored a five-for in Chennai. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma managed two sixes from his first two balls, depositing one into the deep-square leg stands and clearing another over long-on.
Despite Bangladesh's efforts to slow down the momentum with Mehidy's bowling, India was undeterred - even after a near-miss for Rohit ruled as lbw but survived following a review. Soon after, Mehidy dismissed Rohit with a well-flight delivery, but this did not impact Jaiswal. Launching an offensive against spin, Jaiswal led India to score at least one four in each of the overs from six to twelve, reaching a 31-ball fifty and propelling India to 100 in only 10.1 overs.
