Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane gave the packed Holkar Stadium audience an exhilarating rendition of their duet as India stamped their authority on the third Test match against New Zealand here on Sunday.
Picking up from they had left off on Saturday evening, the duo dominated a trying Kiwi bowling line-up, forging an Indian record of 365-run fourth-wicket partnership as the hosts declared at a mammoth 557/5. While Kohli slammed 211 (366b, 539m, 20x4) — his second double century of the year — Rahane hammered 188 (381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6) as the duo obliterated the 353-run stand between VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar, set against Australia at Sydney in 2004, as the hosts built on the strong foundation of Saturday.
Resuming at 267/3 with Kohli batting on 103 and Rahane on 79, India's objective was to bury New Zealand under a mountain of runs and they did so beautifully to set themselves up nicely for a 3-0 whitewash on a wicket that is becoming easier to bat but getting slower and slower.
Both Kohli and Rahane's batting on the day was old fashioned Test cricket. They saw off the opening hour, warmed themselves in the second with some flowing shots, broke for lunch confidently before coming out all guns blazing in the second session to leave the Kiwis chasing shadows under the warm sun.
For the second straight day despite the plans not coming to fruition on Saturday, New Zealand went with the same ploy. They focussed more on Rahane, targeting him repeatedly with short stuff, but bowled with not much of a plan to Kolhi, hoping the Delhiite commits a mistake rather than trying to force one.
Rahane, looking very uncomfortable against the short-ball ploy, received a nasty blow to the back of his head while taking his eyes off the ball and failing to duck in time. While Matt Henry checked on him instantly, another bouncer followed immediately.
But just like he has done so often in his career, the new 'Mr Reliable' swallowed the pain and showed wonderful determination to play an innings of top quality. Some of the shots he played were outstanding — stepping outside and spanking the spinners over extra-cover region and treating the pacers to inside-out lofted cover-drives.
Kohli, who became the first Indian skipper to score two double centuries, hardly appeared in any trouble whatsoever at the other end. Barring one ball where he was beaten by Mitchell Santner, the 27-year-old was compact in defence and sight to behold when he switched gears.
One of the best batsmen in world cricket in all formats, Kohli's wrist work was once again top-class. Often he dispatched balls just around the off-stump in the small gap between short midwicket and long-on, leaving New Zealand bowlers bewildered. Like a machine, he kept motoring on smoothly.
A standout feature about the Kohli-Rahane association was the running between the wickets. Playing with soft hands, they kept picking up quick singles, showing oodles of energy despite being out batting since Saturday afternoon.
They hardly allowed Kane Williamson to set any planned field in the post lunch session. If the field was brought up to create pressure, they stepped out and hit over. And when the field was spread, they were comfortable picking the singles as the run-rate was maintained consistently at a little over three runs per over.
With runs coming smoothly on an easing track, it was then about Kohli and Rahane reaching the landmark 200. Kohli got to it, rolling his wrists around the ball to deep square leg. Soon after that he perished, missing the ball while trying to play across on the back foot to Jeetan Patel.
The spotlight was then shifted on Rahane and he seemed to be in a hurry, clobbering the bowlers to all parts of the ground. But to his dismay, he couldn't bring up his maiden double ton, edging a Boult ball way outside off-stump and bringing a tame end to a pugnacious knock.
Rohit Sharma, batting with the licence to kill, added more salt to Kiwis' wounds in composing a 63-ball 51. The declaration followed soon after that but Martin Guptill and Tom Latham saw off the tense nine overs. The Kiwis, however, face a herculean challenge over the next three days.
score board
INDIA (I Innings, O/n: 267/3):
Vijay c Latham b Patel 10
(18b, 28m, 2x4)
Gambhir lbw Boult 29
(53b, 93m, 3x4, 2x6)
Pujara b Santner 41
(108b, 132m, 6x4)
Kohli lbw Patel 211
(366b, 539m, 20x4)
Rahane c Watling b Boult 188
(381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6)
Rohit (not out) 51
(63b, 90m, 3x4, 2x6)
Jadeja (not out) 17
(27b, 47m, 1x4)
Extras (B-4, LB-3, W-1, NB-2) 10
Total (5 wkts decl, 169 overs) 557
Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Vijay), 2-60 (Gambhir), 3-100 (Pujara), 4-465 (Kohli), 5-504 (Rahane).
Bowling: Boult 32-2-113-2 (W-1), Henry 35-3-127-0, Patel 40-5-120-2, Santner 44-4-137-1, Neesham 18-1-53-0 (NB-2).
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings):
Guptill (batting) 17
(30b, 32m, 2x4, 1x6)
Latham (batting) 6
(24b, 32m)
Extras (P-5) 5
Total (for no loss, 9 overs) 28
Bowling: Shami 2-0-5-0, Yadav 2-0-7-0, Ashwin 3-1-9-0, Jadeja 2-1-2-0.![]( "Skipper Virat Kohli (211) put India in driver's seat on the second day of the third Test against New Zealand in Indore on Sunday.Reuters")
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane gave the packed Holkar Stadium audience an exhilarating rendition of their duet as India stamped their authority on the third Test match against New Zealand here on Sunday.
Picking up from they had left off on Saturday evening, the duo dominated a trying Kiwi bowling line-up, forging an Indian record of 365-run fourth-wicket partnership as the hosts declared at a mammoth 557/5. While Kohli slammed 211 (366b, 539m, 20x4) — his second double century of the year — Rahane hammered 188 (381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6) as the duo obliterated the 353-run stand between VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar, set against Australia at Sydney in 2004, as the hosts built on the strong foundation of Saturday.
Resuming at 267/3 with Kohli batting on 103 and Rahane on 79, India’s objective was to bury New Zealand under a mountain of runs and they did so beautifully to set themselves up nicely for a 3-0 whitewash on a wicket that is becoming easier to bat but getting slower and slower.
Both Kohli and Rahane’s batting on the day was old fashioned Test cricket. They saw off the opening hour, warmed themselves in the second with some flowing shots, broke for lunch confidently before coming out all guns blazing in the second session to leave the Kiwis chasing shadows under the warm sun.
For the second straight day despite the plans not coming to fruition on Saturday, New Zealand went with the same ploy. They focussed more on Rahane, targeting him repeatedly with short stuff, but bowled with not much of a plan to Kolhi, hoping the Delhiite commits a mistake rather than trying to force one.
Rahane, looking very uncomfortable against the short-ball ploy, received a nasty blow to the back of his head while taking his eyes off the ball and failing to duck in time. While Matt Henry checked on him instantly, another bouncer followed immediately.
But just like he has done so often in his career, the new 'Mr Reliable’ swallowed the pain and showed wonderful determination to play an innings of top quality. Some of the shots he played were outstanding — stepping outside and spanking the spinners over extra-cover region and treating the pacers to inside-out lofted cover-drives.
Kohli, who became the first Indian skipper to score two double centuries, hardly appeared in any trouble whatsoever at the other end. Barring one ball where he was beaten by Mitchell Santner, the 27-year-old was compact in defence and sight to behold when he switched gears.
One of the best batsmen in world cricket in all formats, Kohli’s wrist work was once again top-class. Often he dispatched balls just around the off-stump in the small gap between short midwicket and long-on, leaving New Zealand bowlers bewildered. Like a machine, he kept motoring on smoothly.
A standout feature about the Kohli-Rahane association was the running between the wickets. Playing with soft hands, they kept picking up quick singles, showing oodles of energy despite being out batting since Saturday afternoon.
They hardly allowed Kane Williamson to set any planned field in the post lunch session. If the field was brought up to create pressure, they stepped out and hit over. And when the field was spread, they were comfortable picking the singles as the run-rate was maintained consistently at a little over three runs per over.
With runs coming smoothly on an easing track, it was then about Kohli and Rahane reaching the landmark 200. Kohli got to it, rolling his wrists around the ball to deep square leg. Soon after that he perished, missing the ball while trying to play across on the back foot to Jeetan Patel.
The spotlight was then shifted on Rahane and he seemed to be in a hurry, clobbering the bowlers to all parts of the ground. But to his dismay, he couldn’t bring up his maiden double ton, edging a Boult ball way outside off-stump and bringing a tame end to a pugnacious knock.
Rohit Sharma, batting with the licence to kill, added more salt to Kiwis’ wounds in composing a 63-ball 51. The declaration followed soon after that but Martin Guptill and Tom Latham saw off the tense nine overs. The Kiwis, however, face a herculean challenge over the next three days.
score board
INDIA (I Innings, O/n: 267/3):
Vijay c Latham b Patel 10
(18b, 28m, 2x4)
Gambhir lbw Boult 29
(53b, 93m, 3x4, 2x6)
Pujara b Santner 41
(108b, 132m, 6x4)
Kohli lbw Patel 211
(366b, 539m, 20x4)
Rahane c Watling b Boult 188
(381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6)
Rohit (not out) 51
(63b, 90m, 3x4, 2x6)
Jadeja (not out) 17
(27b, 47m, 1x4)
Extras (B-4, LB-3, W-1, NB-2) 10
Total (5 wkts decl, 169 overs) 557
Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Vijay), 2-60 (Gambhir), 3-100 (Pujara), 4-465 (Kohli), 5-504 (Rahane).
Bowling: Boult 32-2-113-2 (W-1), Henry 35-3-127-0, Patel 40-5-120-2, Santner 44-4-137-1, Neesham 18-1-53-0 (NB-2).
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings):
Guptill (batting) 17
(30b, 32m, 2x4, 1x6)
Latham (batting) 6
(24b, 32m)
Extras (P-5) 5
Total (for no loss, 9 overs) 28
Bowling: Shami 2-0-5-0, Yadav 2-0-7-0, Ashwin 3-1-9-0, Jadeja 2-1-2-0.
Picking up from they had left off on Saturday evening, the duo dominated a trying Kiwi bowling line-up, forging an Indian record of 365-run fourth-wicket partnership as the hosts declared at a mammoth 557/5. While Kohli slammed 211 (366b, 539m, 20x4) — his second double century of the year — Rahane hammered 188 (381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6) as the duo obliterated the 353-run stand between VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar, set against Australia at Sydney in 2004, as the hosts built on the strong foundation of Saturday.
Resuming at 267/3 with Kohli batting on 103 and Rahane on 79, India's objective was to bury New Zealand under a mountain of runs and they did so beautifully to set themselves up nicely for a 3-0 whitewash on a wicket that is becoming easier to bat but getting slower and slower.
Both Kohli and Rahane's batting on the day was old fashioned Test cricket. They saw off the opening hour, warmed themselves in the second with some flowing shots, broke for lunch confidently before coming out all guns blazing in the second session to leave the Kiwis chasing shadows under the warm sun.
For the second straight day despite the plans not coming to fruition on Saturday, New Zealand went with the same ploy. They focussed more on Rahane, targeting him repeatedly with short stuff, but bowled with not much of a plan to Kolhi, hoping the Delhiite commits a mistake rather than trying to force one.
Rahane, looking very uncomfortable against the short-ball ploy, received a nasty blow to the back of his head while taking his eyes off the ball and failing to duck in time. While Matt Henry checked on him instantly, another bouncer followed immediately.
But just like he has done so often in his career, the new 'Mr Reliable' swallowed the pain and showed wonderful determination to play an innings of top quality. Some of the shots he played were outstanding — stepping outside and spanking the spinners over extra-cover region and treating the pacers to inside-out lofted cover-drives.
Kohli, who became the first Indian skipper to score two double centuries, hardly appeared in any trouble whatsoever at the other end. Barring one ball where he was beaten by Mitchell Santner, the 27-year-old was compact in defence and sight to behold when he switched gears.
One of the best batsmen in world cricket in all formats, Kohli's wrist work was once again top-class. Often he dispatched balls just around the off-stump in the small gap between short midwicket and long-on, leaving New Zealand bowlers bewildered. Like a machine, he kept motoring on smoothly.
A standout feature about the Kohli-Rahane association was the running between the wickets. Playing with soft hands, they kept picking up quick singles, showing oodles of energy despite being out batting since Saturday afternoon.
They hardly allowed Kane Williamson to set any planned field in the post lunch session. If the field was brought up to create pressure, they stepped out and hit over. And when the field was spread, they were comfortable picking the singles as the run-rate was maintained consistently at a little over three runs per over.
With runs coming smoothly on an easing track, it was then about Kohli and Rahane reaching the landmark 200. Kohli got to it, rolling his wrists around the ball to deep square leg. Soon after that he perished, missing the ball while trying to play across on the back foot to Jeetan Patel.
The spotlight was then shifted on Rahane and he seemed to be in a hurry, clobbering the bowlers to all parts of the ground. But to his dismay, he couldn't bring up his maiden double ton, edging a Boult ball way outside off-stump and bringing a tame end to a pugnacious knock.
Rohit Sharma, batting with the licence to kill, added more salt to Kiwis' wounds in composing a 63-ball 51. The declaration followed soon after that but Martin Guptill and Tom Latham saw off the tense nine overs. The Kiwis, however, face a herculean challenge over the next three days.
score board
INDIA (I Innings, O/n: 267/3):
Vijay c Latham b Patel 10
(18b, 28m, 2x4)
Gambhir lbw Boult 29
(53b, 93m, 3x4, 2x6)
Pujara b Santner 41
(108b, 132m, 6x4)
Kohli lbw Patel 211
(366b, 539m, 20x4)
Rahane c Watling b Boult 188
(381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6)
Rohit (not out) 51
(63b, 90m, 3x4, 2x6)
Jadeja (not out) 17
(27b, 47m, 1x4)
Extras (B-4, LB-3, W-1, NB-2) 10
Total (5 wkts decl, 169 overs) 557
Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Vijay), 2-60 (Gambhir), 3-100 (Pujara), 4-465 (Kohli), 5-504 (Rahane).
Bowling: Boult 32-2-113-2 (W-1), Henry 35-3-127-0, Patel 40-5-120-2, Santner 44-4-137-1, Neesham 18-1-53-0 (NB-2).
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings):
Guptill (batting) 17
(30b, 32m, 2x4, 1x6)
Latham (batting) 6
(24b, 32m)
Extras (P-5) 5
Total (for no loss, 9 overs) 28
Bowling: Shami 2-0-5-0, Yadav 2-0-7-0, Ashwin 3-1-9-0, Jadeja 2-1-2-0.
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane gave the packed Holkar Stadium audience an exhilarating rendition of their duet as India stamped their authority on the third Test match against New Zealand here on Sunday.Picking up from they had left off on Saturday evening, the duo dominated a trying Kiwi bowling line-up, forging an Indian record of 365-run fourth-wicket partnership as the hosts declared at a mammoth 557/5. While Kohli slammed 211 (366b, 539m, 20x4) — his second double century of the year — Rahane hammered 188 (381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6) as the duo obliterated the 353-run stand between VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar, set against Australia at Sydney in 2004, as the hosts built on the strong foundation of Saturday.
Resuming at 267/3 with Kohli batting on 103 and Rahane on 79, India’s objective was to bury New Zealand under a mountain of runs and they did so beautifully to set themselves up nicely for a 3-0 whitewash on a wicket that is becoming easier to bat but getting slower and slower.
Both Kohli and Rahane’s batting on the day was old fashioned Test cricket. They saw off the opening hour, warmed themselves in the second with some flowing shots, broke for lunch confidently before coming out all guns blazing in the second session to leave the Kiwis chasing shadows under the warm sun.
For the second straight day despite the plans not coming to fruition on Saturday, New Zealand went with the same ploy. They focussed more on Rahane, targeting him repeatedly with short stuff, but bowled with not much of a plan to Kolhi, hoping the Delhiite commits a mistake rather than trying to force one.
Rahane, looking very uncomfortable against the short-ball ploy, received a nasty blow to the back of his head while taking his eyes off the ball and failing to duck in time. While Matt Henry checked on him instantly, another bouncer followed immediately.
But just like he has done so often in his career, the new 'Mr Reliable’ swallowed the pain and showed wonderful determination to play an innings of top quality. Some of the shots he played were outstanding — stepping outside and spanking the spinners over extra-cover region and treating the pacers to inside-out lofted cover-drives.
Kohli, who became the first Indian skipper to score two double centuries, hardly appeared in any trouble whatsoever at the other end. Barring one ball where he was beaten by Mitchell Santner, the 27-year-old was compact in defence and sight to behold when he switched gears.
One of the best batsmen in world cricket in all formats, Kohli’s wrist work was once again top-class. Often he dispatched balls just around the off-stump in the small gap between short midwicket and long-on, leaving New Zealand bowlers bewildered. Like a machine, he kept motoring on smoothly.
A standout feature about the Kohli-Rahane association was the running between the wickets. Playing with soft hands, they kept picking up quick singles, showing oodles of energy despite being out batting since Saturday afternoon.
They hardly allowed Kane Williamson to set any planned field in the post lunch session. If the field was brought up to create pressure, they stepped out and hit over. And when the field was spread, they were comfortable picking the singles as the run-rate was maintained consistently at a little over three runs per over.
With runs coming smoothly on an easing track, it was then about Kohli and Rahane reaching the landmark 200. Kohli got to it, rolling his wrists around the ball to deep square leg. Soon after that he perished, missing the ball while trying to play across on the back foot to Jeetan Patel.
The spotlight was then shifted on Rahane and he seemed to be in a hurry, clobbering the bowlers to all parts of the ground. But to his dismay, he couldn’t bring up his maiden double ton, edging a Boult ball way outside off-stump and bringing a tame end to a pugnacious knock.
Rohit Sharma, batting with the licence to kill, added more salt to Kiwis’ wounds in composing a 63-ball 51. The declaration followed soon after that but Martin Guptill and Tom Latham saw off the tense nine overs. The Kiwis, however, face a herculean challenge over the next three days.
score board
INDIA (I Innings, O/n: 267/3):
Vijay c Latham b Patel 10
(18b, 28m, 2x4)
Gambhir lbw Boult 29
(53b, 93m, 3x4, 2x6)
Pujara b Santner 41
(108b, 132m, 6x4)
Kohli lbw Patel 211
(366b, 539m, 20x4)
Rahane c Watling b Boult 188
(381b, 514m, 18x4, 4x6)
Rohit (not out) 51
(63b, 90m, 3x4, 2x6)
Jadeja (not out) 17
(27b, 47m, 1x4)
Extras (B-4, LB-3, W-1, NB-2) 10
Total (5 wkts decl, 169 overs) 557
Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Vijay), 2-60 (Gambhir), 3-100 (Pujara), 4-465 (Kohli), 5-504 (Rahane).
Bowling: Boult 32-2-113-2 (W-1), Henry 35-3-127-0, Patel 40-5-120-2, Santner 44-4-137-1, Neesham 18-1-53-0 (NB-2).
NEW ZEALAND (I Innings):
Guptill (batting) 17
(30b, 32m, 2x4, 1x6)
Latham (batting) 6
(24b, 32m)
Extras (P-5) 5
Total (for no loss, 9 overs) 28
Bowling: Shami 2-0-5-0, Yadav 2-0-7-0, Ashwin 3-1-9-0, Jadeja 2-1-2-0.