Axar Patel was weaving magic with the ball. He had Bangladesh on the ropes, and when he struck twice in two balls, a hat-trick was on the cards.
First, Tanzid Hasan edged one to K L Rahul, who took a sharp catch behind the stumps. The umpire took his time before finally raising his finger -- Bangladesh four down.
Next ball, Mushfiqur Rahim fell for a golden duck, in an almost identical dismissal, again snapped up by Rahul. The anticipation soared -- Axar was on a hat-trick!
Sensing the moment, India crowded the bat with five slip fielders. Axar ran in, found the edge, and the ball flew straight to Rohit Sharma at slip.
It should have been a straightforward catch. But Rohit fumbled. The chance -- and a piece of history -- was gone.
Rohit immediately knew the gravity of his mistake. He banged the ground in frustration, visibly furious with himself.
Then, acknowledging the moment, he quickly put his hand up to apologise to Axar, who had been denied what could have been a career-defining achievement.
At the innings break, Axar reflected on the missed opportunity and the emotions of that dramatic over.
'A lot happened. I wasn't sure if the first one was out, but KL appealed, and we got the decision. Then came the second wicket.
'When I found the edge for the third, I thought I had my hat-trick. I even started celebrating, then I saw it. Rohit had dropped it. I didn't react, just walked back. It's part of the game,' Axar said.
Rohit's miss wasn't the only miss. Hardik Pandya dropped a straightforward chance at mid-off, allowing Towhid Hridoy to go on and score a century. Even Rahul had a tough half-chance slip away.
In the end, these missed chances could have been costly, but Axar's brilliant spell and Mohammed Shami towards the end ensured India remained in the driver's seat. Yet, one can't help but wonder -- what if?
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