CHITTAGONG: Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara each struck a century as India took control of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong on Friday.
The visitors declared their second innings on 258-2 in the third session of the third day to set a daunting 513-run target for the home side.
Bangladesh were all out for 150 runs in their first innings, leaving India the overwhelming favourites to secure victory.
Skipper KL Rahul called back his batsmen after Pujara brought up his 19th Test hundred with a four off Taijul Islam soon after their lead surpassed the 500-run mark.
Pujara, who also scored 90 in India’s first innings total of 404, was unbeaten on 102 after smashing 13 fours, with former skipper Virat Kohli 19 not out at the other end.
Gill earlier completed his maiden Test century before he was dismissed by Mehidy Hasan for 110 runs.
Gill, who hit 10 fours and three sixes, shared a 113-run partnership for the second wicket with Pujara. Rahul holed out to Taijul Islam at fine leg off Khaled Ahmed after making 23.
Bangladesh 37-2 at tea in reply to India’s 404 in first Test
Bangladesh survived the day unscathed in their second innings, reaching 42-0 at stumps to leave them still needing another 471 runs to pull off the unlikeliest of victories.
Najmul Hossain and debutant Zakir Hasan will resume on 25 and 17 respectively on the fourth day.
India earlier bowled Bangladesh out cheaply to take a sizable 254-run first innings lead but decided not to enforce the follow-on.
Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav led India’s bowling attack with career-best figures of 5-40, his third five-wicket haul in Tests, and the visitors needed barely an hour to mop up the Bangladesh tail after the hosts resumed on 133-8.
Axar Patel took the last Bangladesh wicket of Mehidy Hasan, who offered some late resistance before being dismissed for 25 in the 12th over of the morning, while fast bowler Mohammed Siraj took 3-20.
Mushfiqur Rahim top-scored for the deflated hosts with 28 before he became one of Kuldeep’s victims, out lbw.
In India’s first innings Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin also scored 86 and 58 runs respectively.
Off-spinner Mehidy claimed 4-112 for Bangladesh while left-arm spinner Taijul took 4-133.
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