Tigers unscathed in first hour of Day 4

It has been a positive start for Bangladesh in their second innings, with the Tigers yet to lose a wicket in their first of the two-Test series against India at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Saturday. 

However, chasing a record 513-run target, the Tigers are far from being out of the woods in a Test that has more than five sessions of play still left. Bangladesh openers Najmul Hossain Shanto and Zakir Hasan remained unscathed early on Day 4. Having resumed the day on 42 for no loss, Bangladesh reached 80 for no loss in 27 overs with Shanto not out on 46 off 97 deliveries and debutant Zakir Hasan unbeaten on 34 off 65.   

The batters have been playing with ease on a Chattogram surface that kept consistent on its history of being batting-friendly in the final days of a Test. India wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was the destroyer in chief in bundling out the hosts for just 150 in the first innings with his five-for, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were able to extract turn from the pitch, but the slow nature of the surface meant the batters faced little to no trouble in negotiating those. 

Both the openers have also not shied away from playing their shots, especially Shanto, who was dismissed for a golden duck in the first innings, pounced on anything pitched up. Shanto hit Mohammad Siraj for consecutive boundaries, first a drive through mid-on that was followed by a flick down the deep square leg, to assert his authority. 

Zakir has also flexed his arms at times, going inside out to hit an Ashwin delivery for a boundary.