Saba Karim assumes India will find it easier on the 4th day of the final Test against Bangladesh if their batters can keep the strain at bay and bat out the Initial half hour.
KL Rahul and Co. were decreased to 45/4 in pursuit of a 145-run 4th-innings target in Mirpur on Saturday, December 24. Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3/12) was the wrecker-in-chief as the guest lost the wickets of Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli earlier Stumps on Day 3.
During a conversation on Sony Sports, Karim was questioned about his thoughts on India’s chances of chasing down the goal, to which he answered:
“With whatever happened towards the end today, Bangladesh will have the upper hand. But I feel we will find it easier if we bear the pressure for the first half hour because we still have strong batting left.”
The former Indian cricketer wicketkeeper-batter emphasized that the visitors still have a couple of quality batters waiting to come in, with Axar Patel also doing a decent job. He detailed by saying:
“We have Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, and Axar Patel is batting well. So I feel from there it can become slightly easier. It happens quite often that you exert pressure when the day is about to end and your attempt is the same the next day, but it does not happen.”
Karim also said that the pitch might not be as spin-friendly on the 4th morning and that the batters have been capable to capitalize whenever the bowlers have strayed in length, observing:
“There are changes, the wicket behaves slightly differently and you can go with a slightly more open mind to bat. On this wicket as well, whenever the balls are pitched short, the batters have got the time to score runs.”
Stumps on day 3 – India 45/4 and still needed 100 runs to win. Axar Patel unbeatan on 26* and Unadkat on 3* runs. Tommorow is big day for India, all eyes on Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) December 24, 2022
Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant seamed together a 159-run 5th-wicket partnership in India’s primary innings after they were in a place of bother at 94/4. They will hope to perform a defining role in the 2nd innings as well if necessary to do so.
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