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India riding piggy back on Tendulkar’s 45th ton and Dravid’s 29th test hundred

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul David eclipsed Ponting-Hayden and Greenidge-Haynes alliance’s record for 100-run partnerships, as they registered the 17th 100-run partnership at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on the second day of the second test match between India and Bangladesh. Taking advantage of the early reprieves, the duo flayed the Bangladeshi attack to take India to a commanding total of 459 for five, with a sizeable lead of 226 to India’s credit.

Though accolades lavishing praise on the two master craftsmen have poured from all quarters, the only concerning factor has come in the form of an injury to Rahul Dravid, when a delivery from Shahadat Hossain pounded him on the helmet causing him to retire back into the pavilion. Tendulkar taking his time to set in pierced the infield with some resplendent strokes, a whip off the bowling of Rubel being the pick of the lot. Rahul Dravid making use of his feet played some lovely inside-out drives as the partnership flourished to a tally of 222 when Dravid had to return back to the pavilion owing to the injury.

The left-arm spinner Shakib resorted to negative line and the pace battery combination of the two Hossains, who preferred two gullies over the slip cordon, failed to create the sort of magic needed to upset the two masters who were cruising at a steady rate. Earlier the openers Shewag and Gambhir had provided a solid start when both fell to bouncers employed by the Bangladeshi pace bowlers. Murli Vijay and Harbajan didn’t last long as Dhoni was at the crease during the close of play with India clearly ahead in the driver’s seat to register another win, and a 2-0 series victory.

Gambhir riding with the purple patch of his carrier got his name placed alongside the legendary Viv Richards when he notched up his 11th consecutive test fifty, but failed in another, as when he failed to register the sixth consecutive test century to find his name alongside the great Sir Donald Bradman. Rahul Dravid replaced Gambhir by staying alongside Bradman with his 29th test hundred. The batting genius Sachin Tendulkar with his back to back hundreds seems to have gained a stronger appetite for runs as age doesn’t wither him nor does the tongue lashing to deprive him of the masterly batting qualities that have delighted spectators for more than two decades.

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