ZCZC
BSP-19
CRICKET-BD-TOOTHLESS-BOWLING
Superb Rahi deterred by listless colleagues
INDORE, Nov 15, 2019 (BSS)-Abu Jayed Rahi bowled with heart and
aggression as well as gave everything, put everything what he could do but
his extraordinary effort was completely dashed by the other bowlers, who
helped India batsmen release the pressure by their toothless bowling.
Rahi ended with 4-108 after bowling 25 overs, which entirely didn’t
judge how good he was on a day when everything went wrong for Bangladesh.
India stretched their lead to an imposing 343, after ending the day on
493-6. They plundered 407 just on day two itself after beginning with 86-1.
Their scoring rate suggested how toothless and listless was Bangladesh’s
bowling.
Rahi was also plundered but that was at the far end of the day when
India pushed for big runs. Deterred completely by his colleagues, Rahi indeed
couldn’t keep up his rhythm in the last five overs he delivered. But that
simply couldn’t take the gloss off what he had done throughout the day.
Rahi almost clawed Bangladesh back into the contention when he removed
set Cheteshwar Pujara and India captain Virat Koholi in his consecutive overs
at the first hour of the day. His displayed an intriguing show of swing
bowling that even technically sound Pujara and world’s best batsman Kohli
couldn’t deal with.
In the opening session following those two dismissals, there was an
eerie silence that engulfed the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore briefly,
much in contrast to the hubbub on the opening day.
With India reeling at 119-3, adrift of Bangladesh by 31 runs in first
innings, there was genuine chance to comeback in the match but double
centurion Mayank Agarwal and Ajinkya Rahane shattered the hopes by
systematically tormenting the bowlers and kept the visitors wicket-less in
whole post-lunch session.
The line of the bowlers looked far from their best with spinners
operating from both ends, the pair, already good players of spin, ended up
toying with them.
Bangladesh were out of ideas as the pair’s unbeaten 190-run stand put
India in firm control of proceedings, despite Agarwal needing timely
attention from the physio, presumably for cramps, on his way to the marathon
innings.
Agarwal and Rahane, however, ensured the scales tipped back in India’s
favour, keeping Bangladesh at bay.
Two dropped catches off his bowling in the innings, fowling the one of
Agarwal on 32 on day one, didn’t deter him as he kept running in and hit the
deck hard. Pujara was dropped early on in the session off him when a slash
flew to gully where Mehidy Hasan managed to get fingertips but was unable to
hold on.
The drop didn’t cost Bangladesh a lot though, as Pujara was snaffled in
similar fashion a few overs later.
As the wicket grew better with passing times it was need of the day that
the visiting bowling unit came up with a planned approach.
When there was nothing in offer all they needed to do was bowl in a
certain way that would restrict the batsmen from scoring off easily but
instead of that they bowled in such a way that looked to have helped the
Indian batsmen leak runs at their will.
Bangladeshi bowlers bowled either too short of too fuller instead of
going into the three quarter length that could have been more effective for
them as it would made the batsmen play their shots on the rise rather than
leaning front foot or back foot to dispatch the odd bad balls to boundaries.
By doing so, they ruined Rahi’s effort that also made head coach Russell
Domingo sorry for him
“We think he is a really good Test bowler. He has consistent lines and
lengths. He bowled really well in this game. I have read a few articles where
it was written that he hasn’t picked up wickets in the domestic system, but
we think he is one of our leading Test bowlers, and he will have a big role.
He is definitely a guy we need to back,” Doming said.
BSS/SMP/BZC/1950HRS