If there was indeed any mystery for Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha regarding the pitch prior to the match, it must have cleared by the end of the rain-interrupted first day's play of the one-off Test at Fatullah yesterday.

Rain struck heavily 25 minutes before the scheduled lunch break, allowing only a total of 56 overs of play. But it was enough for the Indian juggernaut to plunder the Bangladesh bowling on a wicket that Hathurusingha later described as 'the flattest pitch he has ever come across'.

Shikhar Dhawan struck an unbeaten 150 off 158 balls in his comeback Test, which meant India piled up 239 for no loss at stumps.

Rain only brought some respite in the Bangladesh tent on a day when everything went the visitors' way, from winning the toss to finishing the day without any casualty.

It's too early to say about a Test match's fate after the first day's play, but from 239 without loss, India would not even think to bat again on a wicket where 600-plus looks a reality even by the end of the second day's play. India now need to build on the Dhawan-Murali Vijay platform, which they would do when play resumes today, to pile up a massive total so that they can allow their bowlers to push for a victory.

India openers Shikhar Dhawan (in the foreground) and Murali Vijay run a single during their unbroken partnership of 239 during the first day's play of the one-off Test against Bangladesh at Fatullah yesterday. Dhawan raced to 150 not out off 158 balls to lead the visitors' charge in the rain-affected day. PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

When Bangladesh came up with a surprise selection with only one pacer in the line-up, India's aim was very clear as they picked five specialist bowlers including three pacers and what they needed was to win the toss and the Lady Luck smiled on Virat Kohli, who set a new vision for India in the longest version of the game.

Shuvagata Hom dropped a fairly regulation catch off Dhawan at short midwicket when the left-hander was on 73 and a few close shouts against Vijay was turned down. But apart from those incidents the two Indian openers had almost nothing to worry against a predictable Bangladesh bowling attack on a placid track.

When established opener Vijay looked determined about not to throw away his wicket against a toothless attack during his 178-ball 89, his left-handed opening partner Dhawan played glorious drives to cash most out of the condition.

Dhawan made merry with the Bangladesh bowlers and reached his third Test hundred playing a scoop-sweep against leg-spinner Jubair Hossain for a boundary through the midwicket region as the match resumed almost after a three-hour rain break, thanks to some fantastic job from the Fatullah ground staff.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim constantly changed his bowlers but without any luck as the lone paceman Mohammad Shahid lost the intensity after bowling two maiden overs. Soumya Sarker provided the evidence that he could not be considered to fill up a genuine pacer's place and most importantly the spinners including Shakib Al Hasan kept bowling flat.

BD-IND SCOREBOARD

INDIA: First innings      
Vijay not out     89 
Dhawan not out     150 
Extras:    0
Total: (For no loss in 56 overs)     239
To bat: R Sharma, Kohli, Rahane, Saha, Ashwin, Harbhajan, Yadav, I Sharma, Aaron.    
Bowler     O     M     R     W
Shahid     12     2     52     0 
Soumya     2     0     7     0
Shuvagata     13     0     47     0
Shakib     9     1     34     0
Taijul     12     0     55     0
Jubair     7     0     41     0
Imrul     1     0     3     0
BANGLADESH: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das, Shuvagata Hom, Jubair Hossain, Taijul Islam, Mohammad Shahid.