Pant, Iyer partnership helps India close in on Bangladesh

DHAKA :Rishabh Pant smashed an unbeaten 86 and forged an unbroken 132-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer to put India on course for a handy first-innings lead on day two of the second test against Bangladesh on Friday.

Left-hander Pant smashed five sixes and six fours in his entertaining knock as he and Iyer, who was on 58, steered India to 226-4 at tea in reply to Bangladesh's 227 at Mirpur's Shere Bangla National Stadium.

Bangladesh spinner Taijul Islam struck three times in the morning session before seamer Taskin Ahmed dismissed Virat Kohli (24) soon after lunch to reduce India to 94-4.

But Pant, who raced to a 49-ball fifty, and Iyer scored briskly to drag India back into the contest.

Bangladesh did themselves no favours with some sloppy fielding, with Iyer benefiting from a missed stumping and a dropped catch.

India won the first test by 188 runs in Chittagong on Sunday.