India's captain Virat Kohli, center, instructs Mohammed Shami, right, and Ishant Sharma during the first day of the second test match between India and Bangladesh, in Kolkata
Unlike India's all previous Test matches or series, the focus, the limelight, and the one with hogging all curiosity was the pink ball. And at the end of the first session, the still shiny SG variety proved to be skiddier and swung more than the red ball testing both the batters but mostly wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. As many as six wickets fell in the opening session, most India have picked at any Test match, at any venue, since 2006. But more than the notorious pink ball doing its magic, it was the Indian pacers who indeed delivered another magical session.
Whether red ball or pink ball, Ishant has his plan set against the left-handers - going round the wicket. He set him up with regular outswingers and ones against the angle before sneaking one that traps Imrul Kayes on his pads. Shortly after, Umesh bounced back from his insipid first spell at Eden Gadens to pick two wickets in his first over of his second spell. Courtesy to Rohit Sharma's one-handed stunner at second slip, Umesh got rid of Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque. Mohammad Mithun and Mushfiqur Rahim were then undone by the skiddy nature of the ball and were dismissed by the dragging the ball onto the stumps. While Mithun was dismissed by Umesh, Shami picked his first wicket for the day on dismissing Rahim for another duck in the series.
Roughly around this time, the ball showed glimpses of late swinging. While Shami seemed to pitch the ball well down the off side, from round the wicket, the ball swung across and landed well towards the left-hand side of Wriddhiman Saha.
Towards the fag-end of the session, Saha once again established why he is the best wicketkeeper in the world as grabbed a stunner between the thumb and forefinger to dismiss Mahmudullah leaving Bangladesh in tatters at 60 for six.
The Indian pacers have been the highlight of the team’s home campaign in ICC World Test Championship. The trio picked 26 wickets in three Tests against South Africa in October and managed 14 wickets in the opener against Bangladesh in Indore.
