Persistent and heavy rain washed out the second day of the only Test between Bangladesh and India. The visitors had scored 239 on a rain truncated first day but torrential showers rendered made it impossible for play to resume on Thursday. Catch all the Highlights of Day 2 here
1.15 PM IST: There's the confirmation. Play has been called off due to heavy showers, without a ball being bowled on Day 2. India will resume Day 3 on 239/0, at 9 AM for in at early start, weather permitting.
12.45 PM IST: It's official now. The umpires WILL conduct an inspection at 2 PM IST. Play needs to start in an hour and 10 minutes.
12.03 PM IST: Fatullah is said to have a very good drainage system but the city has received torrential showers over the last few hours. And there's still some lightning around which can't be very good news if you are praying for some respite from the rain.
11.58 AM IST: It appears the umpires will take a call around 2 PM IST. The conditions now must be bad enough for them to not even consider an inspection.
11.38 AM IST: Effectively, two sessions and a bit have been lost to rain so far. With the forecast not very promising for the next three days either, a result is beginning to look rather difficult. Or will Virat Kohli come up with a bold declaration? That might alter the course of this match still. Provided we get enough time of course.
11.20 AM IST: It has stopped raining now and the umpires have been seen walking around the uncovered parts of the ground. A ray of hope here.
11.05 AM IST: Meanwhile, MS Dhoni is the only Indian to be named in Forbes' list of richest athletes in the world. He is ranked 23rd.
10.50 AM IST: The monsoon is not the best time to play cricket - maybe administrators around the world will take a cue from what has happened in Fatullah so far. Murali Vijay is 14 short of another Test hundred and Shikhar Dhawan looks poised for a maiden double ton. This wait must have been absolutely frustrating for them.
10.30 AM IST: It has just stopped raining but don't get your hopes very high yet. Not very sure if the teams have even left the hotel yet. Besides, the ground is waterlogged and still under covers.
10.20 AM IST: The showers are so heavy that a canopy over one of the stands has collapsed. There were no injuries because no one was around at the time.
10.04 AM IST: The conditions are still really bad and chances of resumption are absolutely dim at the moment. But as we wait for further news, take a look at all the major Indian records that have come in Bangladesh. It was in this country where Sachin Tendulkar scored his 100th international ton and where Anil Kumble broke Kapil Dev's record to become India's most successful bowler in Test cricket.
9.52 AM IST: Bangladesh's bowling looked very mediocre on the first day. It has turned out to be a slow pitch but Mohammad Shahid, the lone specialist pacer in the side failed to challenge Dhawan and Vijay. Many felt the more aggressive Rubeil Hossain would have been a better bet, but the Bangladesh coach defended the team's tactics. Read here
9.38 AM IST: The 239-run unbroken stand between Dhawan and Vijay, is the highest for any wicket in Tests at Fatullah, obliterating the 187 for the second wicket between Habibul Bashar and Shahriar Nafees for Bangladesh vs Australia in April 2006.
9.31 AM IST: As we wait for the rain to clear away, here is a look at some other cricket news. The Hindustan Times reported that Ravi Shastri could become the next India coach and he is in line to sign a cool Rs 7 crore-a-year deal with the BCCI. The announcement is expected to be made before India embark on their short tour of Zimbabwe next month.
9.25 AM IST: It's raining heavily again in Fatullah. The teams were scheduled to leave their hotel for the ground around this time but with the showers picking up again, it seems unlikely there would be any movement anytime soon.
9.17 AM IST: Dhawan, who remained unbeaten on 150 on Day 1, set a record for the highest individual innings in Tests at Fatullah, eclipsing the 144 by Adam Gilchrist (Australia) vs Bangladesh in April 2006
9.10 AM IST: The ground is still waterlogged and there is no word yet on when play will resume today.
8.42 AM IST: The teams have not even left their hotel - they are expected to leave for the ground at 9.30 AM.
8.40 AM IST: Heavy showers in Fatullah have delayed an early start to Day 2. Rain had wiped out the entire middle session on Wednesday and only 56 overs were bowled, during which India scored 239/0, thanks to Dhawan's 150 not out. Play was scheduled to start 30 minutes early, but it looks unlikely now.
When you pick Mohammad Shahid and Soumya Sarkar as your lead 'pacers' in a Test match, one would be extremely lucky not to land up in trouble. Bangladesh weren't and now, they are in trouble.
The Virat Kohli-era of Indian Test cricket kicked off on the perfect note. India won the toss, the openers went unbeaten till lunch and then piled on the misery on Bangladesh. Apart from the rain interruption that provided the hosts with some respite, the Bangla tigers were left wounded and purring by the two Indian openers.
Murali Vijay took 26-balls to score just a single but Shikhar Dhawan wasn't in such benevolent mood. He got into gear real soon and flayed the Bangladeshis all around the park. The opening bowlers couldn't get the early breakthrough and on a pitch that looked unusually white, their spin trio also failed to get any purchase. Result - a run fest for India.
If Lokesh Rahul wouldn't have been down with dengue, Dhawan would have been sitting in the dressing room with his feet up, twirling his mustache. He still gave it a twirl but after reaching his third Test hundred and then again while leaving the field unbeaten at 150.
Bangladesh need a plan or some divine help to stop India on Day 2 because at stumps after Day 1, Kohli's men are set for a massive total - the platform is set for a 500-plus score and the likes of Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma are licking their lips to have a go at this hapless Bangladesh attack.