New Delhi: There's no stopping Virat Kohli. He is getting in the business of perfection. On Thursday, the Indian skipper hit his 16th hundred on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Bangladesh at Hyderabad.
The 28-year-old needed no time, and the first ball he faced was dispatched for a four. A beautiful cover drive, right off the middle of the bat. It was followed up by a controlled shot, for a four, two balls later.
That's how he posed himself in the middle of all the actions today, middling his shots, making informed decisions and calling all the right calls.
He remained unbeaten on 111 off 141 balls as India scored 356 on Day 1. Giving him company was Ajinkya Rahane, on 45 off 60.
A flick through mid-wicket for four and @imVkohli brings up his 16th Test ton @Paytm Test Cricket #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/F4NIUzeI26
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2017
FIFTY! This is @imVkohli's 15th Test 50 #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/cFsoljwASy
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 9, 2017
It was indeed a good day for Kohli. He first made the right selection, so to say, by picking Rahane in place of Karun Nair who hit a triple hundred in the last match India played. Karun deserved a starting XI, but Kohli said he couldn't just forget the services and runs Rahane has given.
He then had a hearty laugh in the middle when his opposite number Mushfiqur Rahim tried a blind review.
It happened in the 62nd over. Kohli blocked a Taijul Islam delivery on the front foot. But Rahim, sure a gung ho captain, went fot the T even as a bemused Kohli tried to hide his smile.
Earlier in the day, after winning the toss, Kohli opted to bat. KL Rahul departed in the first over but two of India's most prolific batsmen in Murali Vijay (108) and Cheteshwar Pujara (83) produced a 178-run stand to pull the hosts out of further trouble.
The match is still 90 overs old, but India seemed to given Bangladesh the decisive blow.
And with Kohli in such imperious form, the minnows from neighbouring country will need a miracle to escape even with a draw.
