Chattogram, Dec 17 (Bureau) India are on the threshold of winning the first Test match against Bangladesh, despite debutant Zakir Hasan getting his maiden century on Day 4 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here on Saturday. At stumps, Bangladesh were 272/6 in their second innings. India need to take four wickets to win against Bangladesh who require another 241 runs in the remaining three sessions tomorrow. India were made to strive hard to purchase wickets as the opening batsmen, Zakir and Nazmul Hossain Shanto, dug in with tremendous resolve in the first session and laboured for 119-run stand, hardly giving away any chances to the close-in fielders. India bounced back in the post-lunch session with Umesh Yadav getting the breakthrough after he lured Shanto to play a loose shot where Virat Kohli at slips fumbled before Rishabh Pant latched on to it.
Bangladesh lost two more wickets before tea with Yasir Ali (5) falling to Axar Patel and Litton Das (19) throwing his wicket away to Kuldeep Yadav. Zakir (100) batted gloriously to make his maiden Test ton, but perished immediately with Ravichandran Ashwin bagging his first wicket of the match. Axar was remarkable with the second new ball, picking up two wickets in the same over. While Mushfiqur Rahim (23) was bamboozled by the spin on the back foot, Nurul Hasan (3) was stumped coming forward. For a moment, it looked like Bangladesh would fold up by close, but Shakib Al Hasan (40 off 60) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (9 off 40) dragged this Test into the final day by batting 14 overs.
India needed 4 wickets in the remaining three sessions with Bangladesh needing 241 runs. For now, the visitors are sitting pretty. Who knows the hosts could spring a surprise on Day 5 as batting has been fairly easy against the older ball. Brief scores: India 404 (Cheteshwar Pujara 90, Shreyas Iyer 86, R Ashwin 58; Taijul Islam 4-133, Mehidy Hasan Miraz 4-113) and 258/2 decl (Shubman Gill 110, Cheteshwar Pujara 102*) lead Bangladesh 150 (Mushfiqur Rahim 28; Kuldeep Yadav 5-40, Mohammad Siraj 3-20) and 272/6 (Najmul Hossain Shanto 67, Zakir Hasan 100; Axar Patel 3-50) by 241 runs.