Unadkat, Ashwin get wickets in opening session but Bangladesh reach 82/2 at lunch

Mirpur, Dec 22 (PTI) Pacer Jaydev Unadkat and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin accounted for one batter each but Bangladesh managed to reach 82 for two at lunch on the opening day of the second Test against India, here on Thursday.

Unadkat (1/20), who made his debut against South Africa at Centurion in December 2020, returned to Test format after 12 years. In between, he missed 118 matches, the highest by an Indian and the second highest in world cricket.

The left-arm pacer troubled the home batters with incisive spells and dismissed Zakir Hasan (15) while Ashwin trapped Najmul Hossain Shanto (24).

At the break, skipper Shakib Al Hasan was batting on 16, while Mominul Haque was unbeaten on 23.

India captain KL Rahul started the proceedings with the pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav after being asked to bowl.

Rahul introduced Unadkat as first change in the ninth over and the pacer exploited the overcast conditions from the word go as he troubled both Shanto and Zakir with his incoming deliveries.

He often beat the outside edge of both Shanto and Zakir with deliveries that just shaped away after pitching. His deliveries skidded off the surface and occasionally rose from good length to create problems for the openers.

Unadkat finally tasted success in the fifth delivery of the 14th over when he bowled a length ball outside off but extra bounce completely surprised Zakir, who ballooned one straight to KL Rahul at point as the batter was shaping for a cut.

Shanto was dismissed in the next over by Ashwin, who trapped the left-hander as he did not offer any shot on the pitched-up delivery.

Shakib was aggressive initially as he hit Ashwin for a boundary and then two balls later lofted the off-spinner over extra cover for the first six off the innings.