Hyderabad: Three tons were too much for Bangladesh to handle on a warm day as they toiled in the field to avoid inevitable embarrassment against India ‘A’ in their drawn tour match ahead of the Test against India starting on Thursday.
Overnight batsmen Priyank Panchal, Shreyas Iyer and No.8 Vijay Shankar smashed an unbeaten century each to wallop the visitors at the Gymkhana grounds on Monday. While the first two retired after reaching the three-figure marks, India ‘A’ declared their innings at an imposing 461 for 6 (a 237-run lead) after Shankar got to his milestone. That was quite a humiliation for Bangladesh, who replied with 73 for 2 in their second innings.
Shankar was in tearing hurry as he brought up his century in just 81 balls with the help of 14 boundaries and three sixes. Earlier in the day, Shreyas had entertained with an aggressive approach that yielded 12 boundaries and four sixes in his 91-ball 100 that propped up the hosts total.
Shreyas was severe on Mehedi Hasan, carting the off-spinner for four massive sixes. His boundaries too were classy — all of them sped between the mid-wicket and long-on region. The Mumbai batsman did have his chance though, on 86, when Hasan put down a catch at point off the bowling of left-arm spinner Taijul Islam.
At the other end, Priyank Panchal powered through to the coveted three-figure mark aided by 11 hits to the fence and one that sailed over it as India’s second string side pulled ahead of the Bangladesh total with the loss of only one wicket to embarrass the visitors. In fact, Monday’s first session of play yielded a whopping 152 runs without the loss of a wicket.
India ‘A’ went to lunch content, with a lead of 19 and nine wickets in hand. The visitors got a bit on track in the second session though as they managed some dismissals. Rishab Pant hit Subashis Roy into Shafiul Islam’s hands to fall for 19. Ishan Kishan blocked a few balls and then went for the big one against left-arm spinner Taijul Islam to completely miss the line and be stumped after making just 11.
Hardik Pandya walked in to much cheer from the moderate crowd, cracked a boundary before falling leg before, to Islam again as India ‘A’ slipped to 287 for 5.
Vijay Shankar and Nitin Saini then put their heads down to raise a superb stand of 115 for the sixth wicket before Saini was out caught by Mehedi Hasan off Islam after a well-made 66. A little earlier, the batsman had brought up his half-century with his seventh four, struck sublimely through the covers off Md Mahmudullah.
