Agencies
Fatullah, June 10
Shikhar Dhawan hammered a listless Bangladesh bowling attack into submission with a scintillating century as India seized the initiative on a rain-hit opening day, reaching 239 for no loss in the one-off cricket Test in Fatullah on Wednesday.
Making full use of the opportunity that he got due to Sydney Test centurion KL Rahul's illness, Dhawan dominated the proceedings from the start during his cracking unbeaten innings of 150 off 158 balls, comprising 21 delectable boundaries.
He was ably complemented by Murali Vijay, who played a contrasting undefeated innings of 89 off 178 balls as the duo were hardly troubled during the 56 overs bowled in the day which vindicated Virat Kohli's decision to bat first after winning the toss.This is also the second time that the Dhawan-Vijay combination posted a double century partnership after their 289-run stand in Mohali back in 2013.
The duo showed positive intent, sending the home team bowlers on a leatherhunt - something that Kohli had promised after taking over the mantle from Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
With a slow and flat track on offer, it was an onerous task for Bangladesh's spin quartet of left-arm spinners.
Shakib Al Hasan (0/34 in 9 overs), Taijul Islam (0/55 in 12 overs) along with leg-spinner Jubair Hossain (0/41 in 7 overs) and off-break bowler Shuvagata Hom (0/47 in 13 overs) failed to stop the Indian openers who faced little difficulty in negotiating the pedestrian attack.
The only chink in Dhawan's century was just before the rain interruption in the 24th over, when he got a reprieve when Shuvagata dropped a relatively easy catch at short mid-wicket off left-arm spinner Taijul's bowling. The southpaw was on 73 at that time.
After nearly four hours of rain delay, when play finally resumed, Dhawan started from where he had left off before the break. He found the gaps on the off-side with ease to get into the 80's as Vijay completed his 50 with a boundary off Shahid.
