Hyderabad Test, Day 1: Kohli and Vijay's fine centuries bolster India to end the day at 356/3
[caption id="attachment_36442" align="aligncenter" width="580"]
India in command at 356/3 after tons from Kohli, Vijay | image: Twitter @ BCCI[/caption]
Internet Desk: Indian skipper Virat Kohli once again scored an effortless century, at Hyderabad to put Bangladesh under mammoth pressure on the opening day of the one-off test match. This is Kohli’s 16th century in test cricker as the skipper got to the three-figure mark in just 131 balls. Opener Murali Vijay too scored a magnificent century and helped consolidating the Indian scorecard.
Virat came to the middle to join Vijay after the departure of Cheteshwar Pujara who made a well compiled 83 before getting out. The Indian skipper made his intentions clear when he smashed the very first ball he faced for a four. He went on to share a 54-run partnership with Vijay with the majority of the runs coming off his bat. Vijay in the process got to his century himself before bheign dismissed by Taijul Islam.
Ajinkya Rahane, who got the selection before Karun Nair who scored a triple century in his previous outing in Indian colours, came in next stood by as Kohli strutted his stuff. Kohli’s century is hence part of an unbeaten 122- runs stand with Rahane for the fourth wicket.
India had lost KL Rahul in the very first over with just two runs on the board. But, Pujara and Vijay reinforced the foundations for India and put on 178 runs for the second wicket. Pujara looked prime for a century of his own before being dismissed by Mehdi Hasan Miraz.
Skipper Virat Kohli and opener Murali Vijay pulverised a hapless Bangladesh attack into submission with majestic hundreds as India reached a commanding 356 for three at the end of the first day of the one-off Test here.
The Indian captain (111 batting) scored his 16th Test hundred in just over a session after Vijay (108) batted solidly in the company of Cheteshwar Pujara (83) to provide an ideal platform.
En route his ninth Test century, Vijay played 160 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and a lovely six down the ground off Shakib Al Hasan. The only glitch in his otherwise blemish-free innings was a near run-out possibility when he was on 35.
To sum up India's batting, Pujara was the epitome of patience, Vijay's shots had contempt and skipper Kohli capped it with a display of utter disdain in what turned out to be a total domination by the Indian team.
Each innings was special in its own way and the home team would like to bat the minnows out of the game with a gigantic first-innings total. The slowness of the pitch will make it difficult for the team batting second.
As far as Indian batting is concerned, if Vijay hit sublime pull shots, Kohli looked regal playing the drives on the up.
A firm push by the Indian captain off Taskin Ahmed was a treat to watch. The pull, in front of square off a bouncer from Kamrul Islam Rabbi, was more of a slap shot. It showed why his quality of batsmanship is a notch above Vijay, who, in fact, was fantastic in his own right.
Such was Kohli's nonchalance that he merely celebrated after completing his hundred with a powerful whip off Mehedi Hasan Miraz through midwicket.
Poor Rabbi repeatedly bowled short and was hit for as many as 13 fours in the 91 runs that he conceded in 17 overs.
The platform was set when in-form Pujara and Vijay added 178 runs for the second wicket. The Vijay-Kohli partnership for the third wicket produced 54 runs and the unbroken fourth- wicket stand with a fit-again Ajinkya Rahane (45) saw the hosts add 122 runs in 26.2.
Once Vijay was bowled round the legs trying to play the sweep shot off left-arm spinner Taijul Islam (1/50), Kohli took it upon himself to literally 'manhandle' the Bangladesh bowlers.
The intensity and the urgency to score quickly was evident as India upped the ante in the second session that yielded 120 runs in 31 overs. The final passage of play was even better as India amassed 150 runs in 32 overs.
Pujara, who was playing second fiddle to Vijay, will rue his luck as it was a soft dismissal with an outside edge being snapped up by skipper Mushfiqur Rahim with rookie off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz being the gainer. Pujara hit nine boundaries in his patient 177-ball knock.
Inputs from PTI
2.jpg)
