Kiwi bowlers had no answers to skipper's masterclass

Day 1 of the third Test has ended and India are already in the driver’s seat, with the captain leading the charge from the front. Virat Kohli has been unbeatable at the toss in this series, and he did

Day 1 of the third Test has ended and India are already in the driver’s seat, with the captain leading the charge from the front. Virat Kohli has been unbeatable at the toss in this series, and he didn’t hesitate to call for batting first, as anyone would have done.


The strip in Indore is docile, with nothing for the bowlers yet. It will, however, open up and start assisting spinners more as the Test progresses. But as of now, the only feature has been its slow nature.


It was an easy pitch to bat on, though one had to keep watching the ball closely. However, when Kohli is in full flow, he makes it look like batting on any surface is the easiest thing in this game. He looked in good shape at the Eden Gardens in the second innings, but was done in by a delivery that kept low.


On Saturday, he gave himself time to settle down. But at the same time, he didn’t miss out on any scoring chances. Once he was settled, he showed his class. Along with Rahane, he seized the entire initiative from the opponents. Kohli’s conversion rate is terrific, and that’s what makes him special.


Rahane is another batsman in the Indian middle-order whose consistency needs to be lauded. He has become the pivot around which the middle-order is evolving.
New Zealand have tried to be competitive as much as possible within their limitations. Kane Williamson tried all possible combinations with the bowling armoury at his disposal, but when Kohli is in command, everything pales in comparison.


Once again the toss let New Zealand down, and this will probably be one more Test where it’s just a matter of time before the Indian spinners blow them away.

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The New Indian Express
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