India steamroll Bangladesh in pink test to sweep series

Monday, 25 November 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

India’s cricketers celebrate after winning the match during the third day of the second Test cricket match of a two-match series between India and Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens cricket stadium in Kolkata on 24 November – AFP

KOLKATA, India (Reuters): Umesh Yadav struck three times as India took less than an hour on day three to complete formalities and bulldoze Bangladesh by an innings and 46 runs in the second and final test for a 2-0 series sweep yesterday.

Having barely managed to avoid a defeat inside two days, Bangladesh resumed on 152-6, hoping to score another 89 runs to avoid a second successive innings defeat.

But once Mushfiqur Rahim fell for 74, the highest by a Bangladesh batsman in the one-sided match, the game was effectively over for them.

Bangladesh, skittled out for 106 in the first innings, managed 195 in the second as India registered their 12th consecutive home series victory to consolidate their lead in the World Test Championship points table.

Mahmudullah, who retired hurt on Saturday with a hamstring injury, did not come out to bat for Bangladesh.

Umesh claimed 5-53, while Ishant Sharma returned 4-56 to go with his five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Ishant bagged both the man-of-the-match and player-of-the-series awards.

India captain Virat Kohli singled out his pace attack for their sizzling form.

“These guys can take wickets on any surface, be it at home or away,” Kohli said.

“They are very hungry and at the top of their game.”

India’s seventh straight test victory was also their fourth successive innings win.

Bangladesh had to call in two concussion substitutes in the match after Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan sustained nasty blows to their helmets in the first innings.

Mominul Haque made a forgettable debut as Bangladesh’s new test captain, scoring a pair of ducks in Kolkata.

“It’s very disappointing for everyone including me, we have to learn from this,” Mominul said after the drubbing.

“I think the pink ball is different when it’s a new ball and it was a little bit challenging.”

India had triumphed inside three days in the series opener in Indore.

There was a buzz around India’s maiden pink-ball test with near-capacity crowd on the first two days of the contest.

“We didn’t think so many would turn up today, given we were in a position to end it early,” Kohli said.

“To have so many people witnessing an India win is special.”