Mahmud lone bright spot on otherwise tough day

IN the lead up to the first Test between India and Bangladesh, the buzz was about the two fast bowlers the visiting team had brought to the shores-Nahid Rana and Hasan Mahmud.

- GOMESH S

Mahmud, in particular, had taken a fifer in the second Test against Pakistan, playing a crucial role in Bangladesh's clean sweep recently.

However, Chennai is not Rawalpindi. The MA Chidambaram Stadium has been a paradise for spinners and the back-breaking heat the city had experienced in the week leading up to the Test had cast doubts over the combinations both teams would choose and how much of a help the pacers will get on the red soil surface.

On Thursday, however, thanks to some overnight showers the city was unusually cloudy, and the pitch had a tinge of grass. Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl first and the onus was on Hasan Mahmud to make the most of it. The 24-year-old, playing only his fourth Test, was sharing the new ball with Taskin Ahmed and did not take long to hit the strides.