Virat Kohli Takes Opportunistic Catch As Ashwin Dismisses Bangladesh Centurion In First Test. Watch | Cricket News

India had to toil really hard on the fourth day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram after setting a target of 513 runs for the hosts. After an insipid first session, seasoned left-arm spinner Axar Patel upped the ante with a triple strike just when it mattered as Indian bowlers compensated by reducing Bangladesh to 272 for 6, closing in on a big victory. Debutant Zakir Hasan (100 off 224 balls) showed a lot of character, scoring a patient hundred but saving the Test match by batting out for nearly 180 overs in two days was always going to be an uphill task, as also chasing a target of 513.

Axar (27-10-50-3), who had a dream Test debut against England at home in 2021, perhaps had his best performance in a short career in the longest format, considering that the fourth day wicket didn’t have a lot of help for spinners.

Ravichandran Ashwin (27-2-76-1) wasn’t at his best in this game but he would certainly feel happy to see the back of Zakir, caught by a diving Virat Kohli at first slip. The batter’s defensive prod got an inside edge onto the pads and popped up for Kohli to lunge in-front.

Watch: Kohli Takes Smart Catch As Ashwin Dismisses Bangladesh Centurion

Kohli’s incredible reflex pic.twitter.com/qfyPi5XRKX

— The Game Changer (@TheGame_26) December 17, 2022

Kuldeep Yadav (18-2-69-1) also did his bit by prodding a fidgety Litton Das to try and loft him over mid-on but the batter couldn’t check his half-scoop and half-drive, offering an easy catch to Umesh Yadav.

But no credit is enough for young Zakir, who showed admirable temperament while playing a defensive game in his first Test but also hitting those boundaries — 13 in all along with a six during his innings.

Till the southpaw got out, none of the Indian bowlers, save Umesh Yadav during a post lunch spell with old Kookaburra, could trouble Zakir.

With PTI inputs

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