Perfect 10: Team India puts up 687 to join elite club

NEW DELHI: India have always been renowned for their powerful batting.In the one-off Test against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, they gave an exhibition as to why they are such a formidable force after they declared on the mammoth total of 687/6.

Virat Kohli led the way with 204, his fourth double century while centuries from Murali Vijay (108) and Wriddhiman Saha (106*) compounded the misery of the Bangladesh players.

The efforts of India’s batsman helped the team enter a very privileged club in Test cricket. The score of 687/6 was the 10th instance when India have notched up a score of 600-plus in Test cricket.

They join Australia and South Africa as the only other teams to have registered 10 or more

times Australia have posted totals above 600. India are tied with South Africaon10

India are the first to notch up three consecutive 600-plus totals in Tests.

The first time India scored over 600, against the West Indies in Kanpur, when they posted 644/7 declared.

scores of 600-plus in Tests. Australia lead the way with 22 totals above 600 while India are tied with South Africa on 10. India also created history as they became the first nation to notch up three consecutive 600-plus totals in Tests.

In the Mumbai Test against England in December, Kohli’s 235 helped the team post 631. In the Chennai Test, Karun Nair’s triple century helped them to 759/7 declared, their highest total in Test history while in Hyderabad, they registered their highest total against Bangladesh, going past the 610/3 declared in Dhaka in 2007.

India registered their first total of over 600 in 1979 against the West Indies in Kanpur when they posted 644/7 declared. The team registered their first 600 total in overseas conditions during the 1990 Test against England at The Oval thanks to centuries from Ravi Shastri and Kapil Dev.

India have not lost a single Test at home since 2012 and following their 3-0 and 4-0 series wins over NZ and England respectively, Kohli’s team are on the verge of extending their dominance after a brilliant show against Bangladesh on Friday.