Dhaka: If revenge is a dish, it tastes best served hot. Throughout the ongoing series in Bangladesh, Rahul Dravid had consistently played down the ‘revenge’ theory whenever his views were sought.

But that was clearly the dominant emotion at the Sher-e Bangla Stadium on Saturday when a record-setting India put Bangladesh to the sword with a scorching performance on Day II of the final Test.

Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar all scored centuries — the first instance in Test cricket of Nos. 1 to 4 crossing the three-figure mark — before India declared at 610 for three. Zaheer Khan then shocked and awed the hosts with a devastating spell, polishing off the Bangladesh top order.

At stumps, Bangladesh cut a sorry figure at 58 for five. Their plan of giving coach Dav Whatmore a “special” farewell gift now seems a joke and they may lose the match well before the final day.

The Port of Spain wound may heal with time, but Dravid — with four slips, two gullies, a forward short-leg and a silly point — made his intentions clear. If opting to field was their first faux pas, Habibul Basher & Co. committed the second error by being aggressive against India’s mammoth total.

They fell prey to Zaheer’s probing line one by one. A defensive approach would have clearly been a better idea to see the day through.

Resuming at 326 for no loss, Dravid, with Sachin for company, kept the momentum going and added 116 runs in the morning session. Team India captain’s 24th Test century came off 144 deliveries and included some sweetly timed drives on both sides of the wicket.

Bangladesh finally got the breakthrough, having suffered the carnage for 479 minutes and 108.2 overs. Dravid tried to play Mohammed Rafique inside out, but was caught by Javed Omar at point.

Karthik, forced to retire just 18 runs away from his maiden international century, took the stage after Dravid’s exit. Cheered on by wife Nikita from the dressing room, the newly wed reached the landmark at the stroke of lunch. His display (129 off 212 balls, 4x16) was testament to his fighting spirit and self-belief. Virender Sehwag, once the blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket, now must wait for a comeback.

An exquisite on-drive against Rafique took Sachin to 99. But his wait became longer owing to Sourav’s dismissal on 15 — Rajin Saleh, doing the duty in Khaled Mashud’s absence, snapped up the catch off Rafique.

The maestro finally reached the landmark, his 37th Test century, pushing Saqibul Hasan on the on-side as India finished the second session at 528 for three.

On return, Dhoni (51 not out off 50 balls, 4x3, 6x4) took Bangladesh’s leading bowler for special treatment, cracking Rafique for three sixes in an over.

The Indian wicketkeeper then smashed Mohammed Sharif for another six and Dravid called his batsmen back. Sachin remained unbeaten on 122, his second consecutive century.

Zaheer then provided India with a dream start. He tested Javed Omar in the corridor of uncertainty with the very first delivery of the innings. The Bangladesh opener, who hit an unbeaten 52 in the first Test, poked at it and saw his edge fly to Dinesh Karthik at third slip.

Bashar took guard and faced just four balls before perishing in similar fashion in the next over.

Zaheer continued the demolition job and made it seven for four in his second over. He dismissed opener Shahriar Nafees and vice-captain Mohammed Ashraful in back-to-back deliveries and forced Saqibul to snick another, which was dropped by Karthik.

Five balls later, the Indian opener missed another chance, failing to grab Saleh’s edge off Rudra Pratap. The Uttar Pradesh bowler was second time unlucky when Ramesh Powar dropped Saqibul at point.

Zaheer finished his fiery opening spell with figures of 5-1-20-3 before being replaced by Anil Kumble. The leg-spinner’s first Test delivery since January 6 (against South Africa in Cape Town) was a flipper and almost did a Zaheer, but Saleh managed to get an inside edge.

However, Kumble — who missed the entire action in Chittagong owing to fever — took just two balls more to claim his wicket No. 548.