IND vs BAN, 2nd Test, Day 1: Rain Forces Early Stumps After Only 35 Overs

Kanpur: India pacer Akash Deep stole the spotlight on Day 1 of the Kanpur Test against Bangladesh, which was heavily impacted by rain on Friday.

The visitors ended the day at 107/3 in 35 overs, with Mominul Haque top-scoring with 40 off 81 balls. Play was called off early due to persistent rain.

India, having won the toss, chose to field—marking the first time in 60 years they opted to bowl first at this venue. Sticking with a 3-pacer, 2-spinner combination, the team avoided bringing in Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj tested the Bangladesh openers early on a tricky Green Park pitch before Akash Deep made a significant impact.

Akash dismissed Zakir Hasan for a duck, with Yashasvi Jaiswal taking a spectacular catch. He struck again to remove Shadman Islam after a lengthy appeal, giving India an early advantage. However, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul steadied Bangladesh with a crucial 51-run partnership before R Ashwin ended Shanto’s resistance.

Play was halted due to rain at lunch and eventually called off early due to bad light, leaving Bangladesh at 107/3.