Things have gotten pretty heated in the ongoing Test series opener between India and Bangladesh in Chattogram led by pacer Mohammed Siraj. Siraj, who is known to be hot-headed and put his body on the line, giving it everything has tried to get under Bangladesh batters’ skin. While he got successful in doing that to Litton Das, who eventually perished triggering aggressive celebrations by Siraj and Virat Kohli, the pacer couldn’t do that in the second innings against the opening batter Najmul Hossain Shanto.
Shanto defied Indian bowlers to smash his third half-century as Bangladesh openers stitched a 100-run opening partnership chasing a huge target of 513 runs in the fourth innings. Indian bowlers’ frustration was visibly increasing and Siraj let it all out in the 34th over. There were plays and misses from Shanto in that over and Siraj was continuously saying something to the batter, before giving him death stares. Unlike Litton, who chirped back at the bowler, Shanto kept his calm and gave it back to Siraj with a smile.
The video instantly went viral as the netizens appreciated the young Bangladesh batter to hold his own amid pressure created by Siraj with the ball and his mouth.
Shanto, however, couldn’t stay for much longer after that as Umesh Yadav snared his wicket when he was batting on 67 to hand India their first breakthrough of Day 4. Shanto poked at a wide delivery and the ball went to Virat Kohli at first slip, however, he spilled it before Rishabh Pant’s presence of mind came to India’s rescue and he held onto it.
Siraj was the second-best bowler for India in the first innings after Kuldeep Yadav, however, is yet to pick a wicket in the second innings. Umesh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and R Ashwin picked a wicket each as Bangladesh after a good start were reduced to 209/4.
