India set Bangladesh 250 to win the first Test after declaring their second innings at 100 for 6 on the fifth and final day, in Chittagong, on Tuesday.
Resuming the day on 44 for 2 after a four-hour delay because of overnight rain, India lost wickets at regular intervals and could add only 56 runs when they batted in the post-lunch session.
Veteran spinner Mohammad Rafique restricted them, claiming three wickets for 27 runs.
Bangladesh, who were bowled out for 238 in their first innings, have 43 overs to get the required runs. They lost an early wicket in the form of Shahriar Nafees, who was caught behind for 1 off R P Singh.
Post-lunch session (15 overs, 88 runs, 5 wickets):
When play resumed on the final day after a long delay due to overnight rain, Bangladesh looked the hungrier of the two sides. They were on the ground early, practicing their fielding, while the Indians stayed put in the dressing room and came out for a small session just before the start of play.
Mashrafe Mortaza started proceedings for Bangladesh and Dinesh Karthik announced India's intentions with a cracking pull shot off the fifth delivery of the day. India seemed to have come with a game plan of scoring quick runs and setting Bangladesh a tricky target.
However, Mortaza tasted success in the next over when he got the wicket of Karthik for 22, as the batsman attempted to pull another shot, but only spooning the ball straight to square leg.
Then Mohammad Rafique got the all-important wicket of first innings centurion Sachin Tendulkar. The veteran batsman tried to play the slog sweep to a quick delivery, but missed the ball completely and saw his stumps shattered. He scored 31, hitting two boundaries from 50 deliveries.
Sourav Ganguly also looked to get on with the scoring, but also fell cheaply after scoring 13. The left-hander lofted Rafique on the leg side but could not place it in the gap and Shahriar Nafees, at the square leg boundary, completed a good catch.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni then hit a huge six off pacer Shahadat Hossain as he dismissed a short delivery with utter disdain. The very next over Ramesh Powar was dismissed, stumped while attempting a huge shot off Rafique.
India's captain Rahul Dravid did not hang on much after that and declared the innings at 100 for 6 in 24 overs. Dhoni was unbeaten on 17 from deliveries, with a boundary and a six.
Bangladesh were set a target of 250 to win with a maximum of 43 overs at their disposal.
For India, it was a rather forgetful session. They lost four wickets for the addition of just 56 runs as they went for quick runs. But their bowlers have time on their mind. The stage is now set for a perfect one-day type run chase if Bangladesh are brave enough.
Even if the match ends in a draw, the Bangladesh bowlers can take some brownie points from this otherwise dull contest.
Rafique drew on all his experience, claiming 3 for 27 in the second innings, while Mortaza once again impressed, taking 2 for 30 in seven overs.
R P Singh continued his fine form with the ball as he scalped an early wicket. He had left-hander Shahriar Nafees caught down the leg side by Dhoni in the third over of the innings for 1.
Habibul Bashar seemed keen to avoid being dismissed for a duck for the second time in the match and he took the safe route by scampering for a single to register his first run.
Bashar and Javed Omar played solidly and tried to score whenever the opportunity presented.
Omar hit three boundaries and was unbeaten on 15 as Bangladesh reached 32 for 1 in seven overs at the tea break. At the other end, Bashar was not out on 11 from 10 balls, inclusive of two boundaries.
Around 36 overs have to be bowled, but it seems unlikely that we could have that many as light is already fading. But with whatever is left we could see some drama in the final session.
