Play on day two of the second test between India and Bangladesh here was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent wet conditions, with the ground remaining covered for the entire day.
Despite 35 overs being managed on the first day, there was no such luck on Saturday.
Although there was a brief window of a couple of hours without rain, the heavy water on the covers proved insurmountable. Three super soppers were deployed in an attempt to dry the outfield, but it was all in vain, as play was called off before the scheduled close.The forecast for tomorrow is not particularly promising, though it is expected to be an improvement on today’s dismal conditions. Both teams remain hopeful for better weather to resume play.
On day one, the toss was delayed for an hour, and bad light further reduced the available playtime to just 35 overs. Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl, aiming to exploit the soft conditions on the pitch. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled with discipline but faced resistance from Bangladesh's openers.
It was Akash Deep who made the crucial breakthroughs, dismissing both openers. A solid partnership of over 50 runs between Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque briefly stabilised Bangladesh's innings, but spinner Ravichandran Ashwin managed to remove skipper Shanto just before bad light brought an early close to play.
Bangladesh ended the first day at 107 for 3.As day two slipped away with no play, Indian players, including star batsman Virat Kohli, were seen sharing a light moment on the balcony, while the Bangladesh team remained in the dressing room, anxiously watching the conditions.With a gloomy forecast ahead, both teams and fans remain hopeful for a turnaround in the weather to inject some excitement back into the contest.(UNI)<>