Virat Kohli grew in stature as a latter day batting Colossus if not as contemporary cricket’s milestone man. Shortly after lunch on the second day of the one-off Test between India and Bangladesh, the Indian skipper surpassed the Don (Bradman) himself and another of the game’s icons, Rahul Dravid. Kohli’s double century at the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium on Friday was fourth in as many series’, eclipsing the three recorded by the aforementioned legends.
The innings’ fourth century came from Wriddhiman Saha, while Ajinkya Rahane missed the fifth when he fell 18 short. The venue proved a happy hunting ground for the home side, as it overshadowed Australia’s all-time high here of 503 recorded in 2013 and halted the endeavour a minute short of 11 hours at 687 for six. Synonyms for landmark ran out when India rustled up its third total topping 600 and on the trot.
The visitors suffered an early setback when opener Soumya Sarkar was caught behind by Saha off Umesh Yadav and closed the day at 41 for one.
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Bangladesh’s bowlers found it hard to rein in a rampaging Kohli and the first hour bestowed no favours on them. The Delhi dasher’s 150 went hand in hand with the side’s 400 a little over half an hour into the new day. With a raised bat he briefly acknowledged the cheers and went back to the business he’s best known for.
Before long, Virender Sehwag’s over-a-decade-old record of 1105 runs, the highest in a home season, lay in Kohli’s wake. With the demeanour of a batting bully, out to browbeat the bowling, he stepped out to Kamrul Islam, showing scant regard for his slingshots. So was he severe on Shakib, the opposition’s most seasoned spinner.
Rahane may not have struck the rich vein of his partner but more than did his bit to perk up the run-rate, 11 boundaries adorning his 133-ball 82. For the fourth wicket, the meticulous Mumbai bat had added 222 with his captain.
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As the track took turn, Taijul Islam added a few more revs to his tweaking. If Rahane was foxed by the finger spinner, he was a shade dumbstruck by what followed. The attempt to swat the southpaw through square arched a bit in the air. Short-cover Mehedi Hasan leapt to his left to intercept the hit, gripping the ball without letting go as he descended.
India’s DRS appeal against umpire Joel Wilson adjudging Kohli LBW was upheld. After lunch, with his side in the pink of health, India’s armband-wearer may have let his hair down a bit. Against a flatter and perhaps faster Taijul twirler, Kohli’s late cut was a tad behind in its appointment with the ball. It breached his defences and pounded his pad pretty perpendicular to the stumps.
India’s batting prospered, passing the 500 mark, free of perils from the pitch and an attack that posed no serious threat. Ravichandran Ashwin’s exit, caught in the slips by Soumya Sarkar off Mehedi was but a minor spanner in the works. Saha, his comrade in the middle, had survived a stumping earlier and made the most of that escape.
Partnerships of 50 and 100 seemed passé as the push for a total, titanic in size continued, the host touching 620 for six by tea. Not much after India crossed 650, Tamim advancing from long off spilt a straight forward catch from Ravindra Jadeja. The Saurashtra strongman slammed a six, a feat replicated by Saha who soared to his second century with the stroke.