Pant, Shreyas put India in control

The two put on 159 for the fifth wicket to revive the innings after the team was reduced to 94 for four; the visitors take 87-run lead

Rishabh Pant bats the way people in novels live. There is passion, joy, danger and despair and this cycle of adventure keeps repeating.

On day two of the second Test at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium here, Pant took everyone on another roller coaster, scoring 93 glorious runs (104b, 7x4, 5x6), as India tightened its grip with a handsome 87-run lead. At close on Friday, the hosts, in their second innings, reached seven for no loss.

Where the match was delicately poised with India at 94 for four, the 159-run partnership (181b) with Shreyas Iyer (87, 105b, 10x4, 2x6) for the fifth wicket turned the match India’s way.

It wasn’t as if Bangladesh didn’t have opportunities; Pant and Shreyas were both dropped in the cordon early on, albeit tough chances. When Shreyas was on 21, wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan fluffed an easy stumping off Shakib Al Hasan.

But for a majority of the time the two were at the crease, they provided superficial escape, like how a good book or a movie would, from the travails of those who batted earlier.

Bangladesh had in fact aced the morning session, with left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (25-3-74-4) rocking the Indian top-order. A tentative K.L. Rahul and Shubman Gill were both trapped in front before Cheteshwar Pujara was out caught at short-leg.

The home side broke for lunch with a spring in its step, and burst back onto the sunlit field bustling with energy. Nine balls in, speedster Taskin Ahmed forced Virat Kohli to poke at an away-going delivery and had him caught behind.