After a bowling performance befitting the No 1 Test team, there was a batting masterclass on display in the first session on Day 2 of the day-night Test. Virat Kohli strengthened India’s position by slamming his 27th Test century before departing for 136.
Kohli surpassed former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting by slamming his 20th hundred as Test skipper. Only South Africa's Graeme Smith is still ahead with 25 Test tons as captain.
Bangladesh started with the left-arm spin of Taijul Islam from one end and had a pacer from the other for the entire two hours. It can’t be said that the bowlers did a good job because India plundered 115 runs in the session for the loss of Ajinkya Rahane, who fell after posting a fourth successive fifty-plus score. While that shows consistency, the batsman must have cursed himself for the way he patted a short ball from the spinner to the hands of point after making 51. It meant that he converted just one of those half-centuries into a three-figure knock.
The skipper showed no such lapse in application and concentration. Kohli was batting with single-minded focus and that was on treating the balls on merit instead of getting bogged down by thoughts of grass on the pitch and pink ball. His driving through the covers and straight down the pitch was impeccable. Such was his control that he dispatched even good balls to the fence. His 27th century came in his 84th Test, off 159 balls with 12 fours. The highlight of the session was his four fours in an over by Abu Jayed, which cost 19 runs.
There was not much verve or vigour in the Bangladesh attack, who looked more or resigned to fate. They began in earnest only to find Kohli in imperious form. When he bats like this, there isn’t much the opposition team can do. Rahane was a more than handy second foil, who didn’t waste any opportunity to punish the loose deliveries. The visitors rotated their three pacers from one end but met with no success. The only wicket was taken by the lone spinner.
There was some respite for Bangladesh in the second session with Ravindra Jadeja falling to the second ball after the resumption. He shouldered arms to a delivery from Abu Jayed only to see it uprooting his off stump. But another 60 points in India’s World Test Championship table appears to be a matter of time.