There were no surprises in store at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, the venue for the second and final Test between India and Bangladesh. Yet again, India capitalized on a hapless bowling attack in a very one sided contest. Once again, it was an opportunity for the visitors to better their batting averages and reach yet more magnificent milestones. The key words were class and fluency as India completely and not surprisingly dominated the feeble bowling effort from Bangladesh after winning the toss.

Rahul Dravid moved into the echelons of super achievers with his eighteenth Test century even as five Test old Gautam Gambhir found the sweet spot of his bat to score a scintillating maiden century. Rahul Dravid is the only batsman to have scored centuries in all Test playing nations, only one-third of them coming on home soil. England rates as his next best after he scored a double century at the Oval to follow it up with a century each at Leeds and Trentbridge in the 2002 season. Hamilton, New Zealand remains another special ground where he scored a century in each innings in the 1998-'99 season, narrowing missing out on a double century in the first innings.

After losing by a massive innings and 140 runs at Dhaka, Bangladesh brought in three replacements in Aftab Ahmed, Talha Jubair and debutant Nazmul Hossain for Rajin Saleh, Tapash Baisya and Mushfiqur Rehman. But little did it change their fortunes. Mushrafe Mortaza gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough when he had Virender Sehwag play a lackadaisical cut shot only to be caught in the slips. Mushrafe Mortaza proved to be the only bowler adding a bit of sting to the attack with reasonable pace and bounce. But Bangladesh had to wait for a long time for another breakthrough.

Gautam Gambhir displayed his strokes of brilliance with élan. He played drives and covers on the off side with effortless ease and with increasing frequency. He found the flat pitch ideal to make a mark for himself and generated the momentum as Rahul Dravid was gaining in confidence. While Gambhir's play was not entirely chanceless, it is overshadowed by delicate placement and sweet timing in a strokeful innings. He was confident off the front foot as well as the back foot, his shots coming in sheer disdain as he played with flair with equal flamboyance on both sides of the pitch. While disappointed to miss out on a century against South Africa by a mere five runs, in a touching gesture, he dedicated his century to his grandparents. While Gautam Gambhir does not have the uncanny brilliance of an unorthodox batsman like Virender Sehwag, he also does not have the downside of being Sehwag. While Gambhir is not afraid to go when the shots are there for the making, he is more compact as an opening batsman which is an asset.

Rahul Dravid had an indifferent season against Australia and South Africa but finally found his remarkable touch as he plundered twenty boundary shots in the day's play. He was splendid with cuts off the back foot and his cover drives had the characteristic of the classics propounded in coaching manuals. His astounding straight drives and on drives bespoke of a man with tremendous conviction and talent. With Gambhir in scintillating form, the duo put on hundred for India at lunch and then, sped along to 237 when tea was called. The tea interval must have been a little nerve racking for the batsman who has played for a record eighty-six Tests with a break. The usually reserved and composed batsman broke into a broad smile as a sparkling cover drive fetched him his eighteenth century.

Gautam Gambhir was finally bowled for 139 after a mammoth and record second wicket partnership of 259 runs for India away from home that literally obliterated any slim hopes Bangladesh may have entertained of a more noteworthy performance. The breakthrough uncannily came from Nazmul Hossain, who finds himself among a list of a select few, being only the fifth player to make his debut in both, first class and Test cricket. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar thereafter played without hitch for a sixty-one run partnership that will resume when play commences on day two. While Sachin Tendulkar remained unbeaten on thirty-five, Rahul Dravid is batting on the threshold of magnificence, just five short of the 150 mark. Too much criticism of the Bangladesh attack may seem acerbic on what looks like a tremendously good pitch for batting. Leave asunder any outlandish blemishes, there can be only more record breaking batting heroics awaiting the dawn on day two!