Hyderabad: Skipper Virat Kohli (204, 246b, 24×4) scored a record-breaking fourth double hundred as Indian batsmen plundered a meek Bangladesh bowling line-up to pile up a massive 687 for six declared on the second day of the one-off Test here Friday. At stumps, the visitors were 41/1 after losing opener Soumya Sarkar (15) to Umesh Yadav with Tamim Iqbal (24 batting) and Mominul Haque (one batting) at the crease.
Other than the records set by Kohli, the team total of 687/6 was also a world record as no other Test playing side had ever scored 600 plus runs in three consecutive Test matches before Friday. India’s two other 600-plus totals had cone against England at Mumbai and Chennai respectively.
The good news for India was comeback-man Wriddhiman Saha’s (106 n o, 155b, 7×4, 2×6) unbeaten century – his second Test hundred that justified team management’s immense faith in his abilities.
It was Saha and Ravindra Jadeja’s (60 n o, 78b, 4×4, 2×6) long handle that saw India score at an average of more than four runs per over during the day.
Earlier Ajinkya Rahane (82, 133b, 11×4) also batted well as India dominated the day’s play completely.
With the pitch offering some turn already, Bangladesh batsmen will have an arduous task of saving the game, which looks highly unlikely against the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja.
The first session belonged to Kohli who hit the ball with supreme elan to all parts of the park. It was an innings that defined his class and also showed that it’s only Kohli himself who can get out if the opposition bowling attack is merely pedestrian.
Kohli completed his double ton in the post-lunch session and then an arm ball from spinner Taijul Islam found him going for the late cut to be trapped leg before. He along with Rahane, added 222 runs in a little under 50 overs with Bangladesh by then being out-batted by the hosts.
Rahane missed out on a century with young Mehedi Hasan Miraz taking a spectacular one-handed diving catch off left-arm spinner Taijul.
India smashed 121 runs in the opening session and the second yielded another 143 more due to Saha going on the offensive. His ton came with a six down the ground off Bangladesh’s most successful bowler Taijul (3/156). He and Jadeja added 118 runs in 25.3 overs for the seventh wicket.
Bangladesh suffered the ignominy of having five of their bowlers Taijul, Taskin Ahmed (1/127), Kamrul Islam Rabbi (0/100), Mehedi Hasan Miraz (2/165) and Shakib Al Hasan (0/104), conceding more than 100 runs.
Earlier, Kohli started from where he had left off Thursday with two thumping boundaries off Taskin in the first over.
The stand-out shot of the session came in Taskin’s next over. A good full length delivery was just firmly pushed. It looked like an on-drive where all that the skipper had done was to roll the wrists to help it to the fence.
Press Trust of India
