Sports desk: When Virat Kohli lofted Taijul Islam over extra cover 10 minutes after Lunch, he'd left behind Don Bradman and Rahul Dravid to become the first player to score four double-centuries in as many successive series. When his batting masterclass ended a few minutes later, for 204, India had firmly established their dominance over a meekened Bangladesh. But India weren't done just yet.
Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, who was reprieved by his opposite number when on 4, went on to notch his second ton – the third of the innings so far – as India became the first team to amass three consecutive 600-plus totals in Test history. The hosts eventually found contentment 48 minutes after Tea on the second day and after posting an intimidating total of 687 for 6.
Bangladesh's understandably weary openers did well for a good portion of the remaining overs on the day with a 38-run opening stand. Then eight minutes before stumps, Kohli heard a nick that even the bowler Umesh Yadav didn't seem to pick and opted for a review, sending Soumya Sarkar on his way. Going away with all ten first innings wickets in the bag was the least Bangladesh deserved after their bowlers were put to the sword under the hot Hyderabad sun for 166 overs as batsman after batsman from the Indian ranks feasted on the flat wicket and general Bangladeshi largesse on the field.
For a second successive day, the visitors didn't help their cause with a missed stumping and dropped catches – all of it contributing to five bowlers conceding over 100 runs.
But it was Kohli who made all the news on the day. He barely broke a sweat but broke a slew of records in his 246-ball innings. Enroute registering the most Test runs by an Indian in a season, he became only the third batsman – behind Bradman and Dravid – to score three doubles in a season. He also joined an exclusive list of captains featuring Bradman, Michael Clarke and Graeme Smith to score four double tons. Only Brian Lara (5) has more.
Saha's effort was more understated to the effect that the it took a 13000-strong crowd some time to register that he was batting in the nineties. After an initial hiccup, his footwork was precise against the spinners – who bowled 63 off the 76 overs bowled by the visitors – and once set, stretched India's already big total with stands of 74 with R Ashwin (34) and 118 with Ravidra Jadeja (60 not out).
Ajinkya Rahane also scored 82 on comeback after injury but the spotlight continued to shine on Kohli, who banished any slender hopes of a Bangladesh comeback on Day 2 with a with a dizzying array of strokes in the morning session.
Later, after the opening day's play, despite India picking off 65 runs from nine overs of the second new ball, young Taskin Ahmed said his side was hopeful of restricting India to a total under 450. He admitted to the fast bowling attack's inexperience but said they would reassess their plans for the following day. If they did, it didn't show. Kohli's unforgiving mood certainly did their plans no good. At the end of 31 painful first session overs, India had already scored 21 more than Taskin's projected score, with Kohli adding 82 off the 121 runs scored in the session.
That the run-rate dipped under the four-run mark for a while thereafter was largely due to tight lines employed by the highly impressive Taijul Islam and Mehedi Hasan. At any rate, the pitch took significantly more turn than usual. Even Kohli was squared up by a Taijul delivery that pitched on middle and spun past the outside of the bat edge and the off-stump. So it was all the more queer to see Mushfiqur Rahim wait so long before bowling his spinners in tandem. Poor Taskin then bore the brunt of India's batting brutality.
Kohli's off-side play was at its imperious best with the 21-year-old seamer curiously persisting with his short-ball ploy from late last evening. The highlight of several intricately placed cut shots was a dab that bisected the wide third-man and the deep point fielder to perfection, leaving a disgruntled Taskin shaking his head in disappointment on his way back to the run-up. His nine-over effort on the day, distributed across his first two spells, cost 69 runs.
Rahane played his role to perfection in his third double-century (222) stand with his captain. Sabbir Rahman spilled a touch chance off him at deep point and he needed 34 minutes in the morning to add five runs to his overnight score of 45 but once he began receiving strike more frequently, regular Rahane service resumed. The short ball was cut away and driven full past the ring fielders with typical compactness.
Taijul came on at the stroke of the first hour by which India's captain and vice-captain had already added 70 in 14 overs. But the left-arm spinner's arrival brought much-needed control for the visitors. A little turn and dip elicited a miscue from Jadeja and a superb diving catch by Mehedi at covers. Taijul should have had another in a good passage of play before Lunch but Mushiqur missed a straightforward stumping to get Saha amidst close calls and DRS referrals. The missed opportunity only cost Bangladesh 102.
Kohli fell soon after soaking in a standing ovation for his efforts, missing an arm ball from Taijul. Although, he would have been better served with another DRS referral. Bangladesh's misery though was far from over as another drop catch and Jadeja's sword-cutting-air celebration after a fifty laid the final marker on a forgettable day.
Brief Scores: India 687/6 decl. (Virat Kohli 204, Murali Vijay 108, Wriddhiman Saha 106*; Taijul Islam 3-156) lead Bangladesh 41/1 (Tamim Iqbal 24*; Umesh Yadav 1-2) by 646 runs.The Times of India
