IND-BAN 2nd Test: Captain Shanto warns of tough wicket in remaining 3 days

With the rain and limited sun, the wicket may become more challenging as the game progresses, says Bangladesh captain Najmal Hossain Shanto after Day 2 of India vs Bangladesh Test was washed out

Persistent rain led to the Day 2 of the second Test between India and Bangladesh being called off without a single ball bowled at Green Park Stadium in Kanur on Saturday.

The light rain in the morning escalated into heavy downpour, preventing any play from commencing. Despite the groundsmen's efforts with three super soppers from 11:15 am, the conditions did not improve, and poor visibility added to the delay. The match officials officially called off the day’s play at 2:15 pm.

However, there was very little rain after 12:15 pm.

Expressing his frustration, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto voiced his disappointment at the weather disrupting the game’s flow.

Check India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test Day 4 LIVE SCORE UPDATES and full scorecard here

“It’s disappointing as a player. The game began after much difficulty, continued for a bit, and then stopped again. Today, there was no play, which is frustrating for the players. We can’t do much about it, but it would have been good if we had some action,” Shanto said.

He noted that the constant interruptions due to rain made batting more challenging, although he praised the wicket’s condition. “The wicket was good. The problem has been the stop-start nature of the game. Batters have to play knowing that rain can interrupt at any moment, which is difficult,” Shanto added.

India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test Day 3 weather forecast

The weather forecast predicts more rain on Sunday, but conditions are expected to improve on Monday and Tuesday, offering hope for play in the latter half of the match. However, Shanto remains cautious about the evolving wicket conditions.

“There are still days three and four ahead. With the rain and limited sun, the wicket may become more challenging as the game progresses,” he observed.

How could the India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test pan out in remaining three days?

Bangladesh had reached 107 for three on the rain-curtailed first day, with only 35 overs bowled. Indian pacer Akash Deep dismissed both openers Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed the wicket of Shanto.

Reflecting on the first day, Shanto commented, “We lost one wicket more than we should have. The start was good, and we are still in a decent position. We have many capable batters left, and if we can build two big partnerships, we could reach a good position. Right now, I’d say we are in the middle ground.”

India lead the two-match series 1-0 after their convincing 280-run victory in the Chennai Test.