World number one batsman Virat Kohli scored his 24th Test century as India piled on the runs against a depleted West Indies attack on day two of the first Test at Rajkot.
Kohli is now level with Test legends Viv Richards and Greg Chappell on 24 Test centuries. Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf also ended his career with 24 Test centuries.
The four batsmen share 21st place in terms of the most Test centuries of all time, with Indian master batsman Sachin Tendulkar top of the pile having scored 51 centuries in his 200 Test matches. South African legend Jacques Kallis (45) and Aussie hero Ricky Ponting (41) follow in second and third place respectively.
Kohli shared a 133-run stand for the fifth wicket with new wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant. The 21-year-old is playing in his fourth Test and has continued his good form with the bat for India, scoring 92 off 84 balls, including eight fours and four sixes.
Pant’s previous Test innings brought him his maiden Test century in a thrilling run chase against England at The Oval where he and opener KL Rahul (149) added 204 for the sixth wicket to keep India’s hopes in the match alive. India lost that Test by 118 runs.
India declared on 649-9d off 149.5 overs, with Ravindra Jadeja making it through to his maiden Test century, ending 100 not out off 132 balls (five fours, five sixes). Devendra Bishoo ended the marathon innings with figures of 54-3-217-4, the joint 17th most runs conceded by a bowler in a Test innings. Bishoo now shares the ‘honour’ with Ian Botham, who took 3-217 for England against Pakistan at The Oval in 1987. Another debutant, 22-year-old Sherman Lewis, took 2-93, which he will remember fondly for having picked up the big ticket wickets of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
The West Indies ended the day in disastrous fashion, having lost six wickets for just 94 runs, Mohammed Shami picking up 2-11, but ironically only two opening batters failed to make it into double figures.
This first Test in Rajkot will, however, be remembered for 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw scoring 134 to become the youngest Indian batter to score a century on Test debut, and the fourth youngest in history.
Photo: Philip Brown/Getty Images
