MUMBAI, Oct 11: India captain Virat Kohli hit a sparkling hundred to help guide the hosts towards a commanding first-innings total in the second test against South Africa at Pune on Friday.
In his 50th test as skipper, the 30-year-old was unbeaten on 104 after bringing up his first test hundred of the year, and the 26th of his career, as India reached 356 for three at lunch after resuming the second day on 273-3.
Ajinkya Rahane was unbeaten on 58 as the hosts, who lead the three-test series 1-0 after their opening win in Visakhaptanam, went through Friday’s first session unscathed.
India close in on victory after Kohli's third double ton
After the 138-run stand for the second wicket between centurion Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara on the opening day, it was the turn of Kohli and Rahane to turn the screw on South Africa with an unbroken partnership of 158.
Armed with the second new ball, which was about five overs old, Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander started off strongly to keep the batsmen on their toes.
There were not many scoring opportunities provided by the fast bowlers and most runs during the first 30 minutes came off the edge of the bat.
The frustrating wait for a breakthrough continued for the South Africans as Kohli, who was dropped on three by spinner Keshav Maharaj off his own bowling on Thursday, had at least three edges elude the fielder behind the wicket.
Once the ball had lost a bit of shine and the pitch some movement, Kohli opened up and converted his knock into a hundred in his fifth test of 2019.
Trademark drives on both sides of the wicket flowed from the right-hander’s bat as India piled on the runs in their first innings on a surface expected to assist the slow bowlers more as the match progressed.
A sublime straight-driven boundary off Philander brought up the hundred for Kohli, who also has 43 tons in the 50-over format.
Rahane survived a run-out chance and hung around to complete his half-century, hitting eight boundaries in his unfinished knock.
