Unsure how the pitch will behave on day three and four, says Shanto

With Saturday's play at Green Park washed out due to rain, the Kanpur Test between India and Bangladesh remains just 35 overs old after two days.

While a constant drizzle continued until just after 10 AM, the rest of the day witnessed only minor spells of light rain. However, the covers stayed on even when the rain had stopped for extended periods, with Super Soppers working to keep the ground in shape.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed his frustration at the situation. "As a player, it's very frustrating," Shanto admitted after the second day's abandonment. "The game started after a lot of difficulty (on Friday), and then we managed to play for a while before the rain came again. Today, there was no play at all. So overall, it's really frustrating as a player, but it's out of our control. It would've been better if we could at least get some play."

On the first day, Bangladesh reached 107 for 3 before the rain interrupted the match. Jasprit Bumrah managed to extract some early movement in the morning session, and Akash Deep struck twice, but the Bangladesh batters largely held their own. Shanto, who contributed 31 in a half-century stand with Mominul Haque before being trapped leg-before by R Ashwin, said the pitch was fairly easy to bat on.

"The wicket was decent. The bigger challenge was dealing with the frequent interruptions due to rain. That constant stop-start makes it difficult for the batters, as you have to be mentally prepared for play to resume at any moment. Aside from that, the pitch has been pretty good so far. However, we don't yet know how it will play on days three and four because of the lack of sunshine," Shanto noted.

While Bumrah was unlucky not to take a wicket in his first spell, Mohammed Siraj struggled with his length, which was slightly too short on a slow pitch. Although both bowlers tried hard, Akash was the one to make an impression, taking two crucial wickets from around the wicket. Zakir Hussain edged to the slips, where Yashasvi Jaiswal took an excellent catch, and Shadman Islam was trapped leg-before playing down the wrong line.

After a promising partnership between Shanto and Mominul steadied Bangladesh's innings, the visitors couldn't fully capitalise on the momentum. Shanto's dismissal late in the day, just as things seemed to be shifting in Bangladesh's favour, proved to be a setback. Despite this, Shanto believes the contest remains balanced.

"I think we lost one extra wicket, but we had a good start. I wouldn't say we're in a bad position, considering the wicket we're playing on. We still have a few batters to come. If we can put together two big partnerships, we could be in a strong position. At this point, I think it's quite balanced."

With World Test Championship points at stake, the weather could yet play a decisive role in the outcome of the match. The forecast for Sunday is not promising, and it's uncertain how much play will be possible. However, with points to play for, an aggressive approach from the hosts, if and when play resumes, can't be ruled out.