KOHLI, SMOG LEAVE LANKANS BREATHLESS
India skipper strikes sixth double century before bowlers leave the ‘stricken’ visitors struggling at 131/3
MATCH INTERRUPTED: Sri Lankan players sport antipollution masks as air quality deteriorated on the second day of the third Test match in New Delhi on Sunday. On the day, Kohli scored 243 runs and became the first international skipper to hit six double tons in Test cricket.
NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli has been in unstoppable form over the last three years and captaincy seems to have added to his steely determination to succeed. Hapless Sri Lanka were flattened on Sunday as the India skipper hit a majestic 243 in the final Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Sunday.
Kohli’s career-best knock was his sixth double century, surpassing Brian Lara’s five as captain. The India No 4 drew level with Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar for most 200 or more scores. Sehwag’s knocks include two triple centuries.
With a home crowd egging him on, Kohli dominated the hapless Sri Lanka bowling for the second day, with only the brief stoppage caused by pollution after the lunch interval affecting concentration and leading to dismissal when a first Test triple century looked imminent.
India declared at 536 for seven in the afternoon, and Sri Lanka, after an early wobble, were 131/3 at stumps. Angelo Mathews was on 57 and skipper Dinesh Chandimal was 25 not out.
The beauty of Kohli’s knocks has been that they have been rapid affairs and come as great advertisement for entertaining Test cricket. He faced just 287 balls, and scored at a strike rate of 84.66. He got 100 of them in fours, batting for over seven hours to underline his supreme fitness.
His 135-run fifth-wicket partnership with Rohit Sharma (65) had taken India to 500 when the latter was caught behind at the stroke of lunch. As play was disrupted after lunch with Sri Lanka players needing attention due to the air pollution, Kohli stretched and lay on the field impatient.
Resumption saw R Ashwin fall straightaway, and the loss of concentration led to Kohli misreading one from Chinaman bowler Lakshan
Sandakan to be trapped leg before.
The captain, upset with the break in play as he could have attempted the triple century before tea and asked Sri Lanka to bat, then declared when he realised Lanka were struggling to put 11 players on the field.
Kohli’s brilliance dominated the morning’s play after he resumed on 156 with India on 371/4. He surpassed his best Test score of 235 after going past the best Test knock at the Kotla (230 – New Zealand’s Herbert Sutcliffe, 1955). Kohli’s six double centuries have barely taken a year-andhalf, starting with the West Indies tour of July 2016.
He attacked Suranga Lakmal after the second new ball was taken. He took a knock on his left thumb, and then pulled Lahiru Gamage to midwicket for a couple to complete 200. The flicks and drives past midwicket were all on display as the India captain arguably completed his final Test innings of 2017 on a high.
Mohammed Shami bowled a brilliant opening spell, and it should auger well for the South Africa tour. He had Dimuth Karunaratne caught behind off the first ball and Ishant Sharma trapped Dhananjaya de Silva leg before. However, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli dropped catches in the slips to allow the visitors to fight back.