In cricket-crazy Chittagong, you don’t really need to be inside the stadium to know which way the game is swinging. All you have to do is keep an eye on this giant tree just outside the white, scarred wall, square off the wicket.

Spilling over with fans dressed in bright red and pink, one waving a bright green umbrella, the tree quivered in the first minute of the first Test between India and Bangladesh, shook harder about 90 minutes after lunch, and then stood still like a rock for the rest of the day. And that was how today’s cricket went, too.

Barely had the Indians settled down this morning, when Bangladesh pace ace Mashrafe Mortaza sent back specialist opener Wasim Jaffer with a sensational first ball. Then, after a pulsating 124-run partnership, Rahul Dravid and Dinesh Kaarthick stumbled and fell within 11 balls of each other. And that left Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly with enough space and time to settle down, stretch their legs, share 163 precious runs, and shut out Bangladesh.

At 295 for three, an hour’s play lost, thanks to a passing shower, four days to go, India have nearly batted Bangladesh out of this game — nearly, because there’s just Mahendra Singh Dhoni to follow before the bowlers walk out. But then, Tendulkar is looming large at 80, looking better by the ball, and Ganguly is busy at 82, closing in, run by run, on that elusive, promised comeback 100.

In the end, the sight of VVS Laxman having another go at the nets during lunch, counting the days till the second Test starts next week, was probably the only dark spot under the bright sun — five bowlers, there just wasn’t enough room for him.

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