Bangladesh 82-2 at lunch on first day against India

AFP

Bangladesh reached 82 losing two wickets at the lunch break in the second Test of their two-match series against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday.

Bangladesh captain Shakib al Hasan, who was on the crease with 16, won the toss early in the morning and decided to bat first.

Mominul Haque was battling hard remaining on 23 on the pitch that already showed some grip, turn and also the ball getting low for the spinner.

Mominul, former captain of the Tigers returns to the team replacing off-form Yasir Ali while pacer Taskin Ahmed is back to the Test fold taking place of injured Ebadot Hossain.

Bangladesh’s opening stand looked good but both the batters, Najmul Hossain Shanto (24) and Zakir Hasan(15), got out in quick succession at the same score - 39 - on the board for hosts.

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin (R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh’s Nazmul Hasan Santo during the first day of the second cricket Test match between Bangladesh and India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on 22 December, 2022
AFP

Visitors India on the other hand made a surprising change as they dropped Kuldeep Yadav, the man of the match of the first Test. Left-arm chinaman Kuldeep, who picked up eight wickets and scored vital 40 runs, is replaced by pacer Jaydev Unadkat.

Undadkat is making a record for India as the paceman is playing his first Test since his debut back in 2010. India have played 118 Tests between these two matches. Only England’s Gareth Batty has missed more matches (142) between appearing two Tests.

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Najmul Hossain Shanto, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Litton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan(c), Nurul Hasan(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed

India (Playing XI): KL Rahul(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj