The second Test between India and Bangladesh at Mirpur took an unexpected turn on Saturday, December 24, as the hosts went through the Indian top order in the closing session of Day 3. After gaining an 87-run lead in the first innings and reducing the hosts to 159/7 in the second, Team India was in a comfortable position. The Bangla Tigers rallied back with the bat owing to a Litton Das-inspired comeback, but the momentum change was obvious when they came to bowl, as Indian batsmen had no idea how to face their spinners.
Das and Taskin Ahmed's 60-run eighth-wicket partnership increased Bangladesh's lead to nearly 130, and the target began to look daunting until R Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj, with the crucial wicket of Bangladesh's set batsman, ended the innings for 231.
India was assigned a target of 145, which looked doable considering the strength of their order, but Mehidy Hasan had other plans. The off-spinner claimed three crucial wickets, including Shubman Gill, vice-captain Cheteshwar Pujara, and former Indian captain Virat Kohli, as the visitors face loss.
India still needs 100 runs to win the match, and with Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer on their way, the visitors are not out of it. If India fails to chase the target on Sunday, December 25 morning, it would not only be their first loss to Bangladesh in Test cricket history, but it will also have an influence on the team's hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC).
With a points percentage of 55.77, India is presently ranked second on the WTC points table. If India loses this game, the PCT will drop to 51.7, and the first edition's finalists would drop to fourth place. However, if India wins, they would consolidate their second-place position with a PCT of 58.9.
If India loses on Sunday, they will have four matches remaining, and they will need to win all of them to go to the WTC final without relying on any other results. If India defeats Australia 4-0 after losing to Bangladesh, their PCT will be 62.5, and they would easily go to the WTC final.
READ| Hockey World Cup 2023: Drag flicker Harmanpreet Singh to lead India, Amit Rohidas named vice-captain
