The pace at which Virat Kohli scored his best Test score of 254* yesterday has given hosts enough time to take 20 SA wickets and win series, says Mayank Agarwal
India skipper Virat Kohli celebrates his century against South Africa in Pune yesterday. Pic /PTI
Pune: The brisk pace at which skipper Virat Kohli scored his double hundred has given the Indian bowlers enough time to get 20 South African wickets, reckons opener Mayank Agarwal. Kohli's best-ever Test score of 254 and his 225-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja (91) in only 39.1 overs formed the cornerstone of India's mammoth 601 for five declared on Day Two of the second Test.
Kohli's big knock came at an impressive strike rate of 75.59 as he hammered 35 boundaries, including two sixes, in his 336-ball innings. "Definitely, it has put us in driver's seat and it's not just the amount of runs but at what pace those runs have come has made the huge difference," said Agarwal, who got his second successive Test hundred on the opening day, said.
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Indian pacers have already reduced the Proteas to 36-3 at stumps. "The double hundred has given the team extra session and half, which becomes very crucial. The partnership between Virat and Jadeja was fabulous and almost at run a-ball 230-odd (225), which is fabulous. If you are looking to win games, then you want to have that time to get 20 wickets," said the Karnataka right-hander.
Mayank Agarwal
"To get 250 is no joke and the way he is batting is tremendous. The positivity and intent is fabulous. The records and his scores, prove everything that we all need to see [learn]." In fact, the first session of the second day set the tone as Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane hardly gave any chances. "Virat and Rahane during the last evening, around an hour and a half, when ball was doing a bit under lights, played really tight. They didn't give opposition a wicket, in the first session and that put us in the driver's seat and we could do what we did in the second session," he said.
Responsibility as skipper helps me score big: Kohli
Pune: India skipper Virat Kohli says the responsibility of leading the team motivates him to push his limits in testing conditions. "It's a nice little thing to get along in your career, to get most number of double hundreds," Kohli told bcci.tv. "I struggled to get big scores initially but then as soon as I became captain then you invariably just think about the team, you can't just think about your game. In that process you, end up batting more than you can imagine."
Seven
No. of double centuries scored by Virat Kohli, the most by any Indian batsmen
Nine
No. of times Kohli has crossed the 150-run mark as skipper, going past the legendary Sir Don Bradman who had eight
Tweet talk
Sachin Tendulkar @sachin_rt: Congrats to @imVkohli on his double hundred and @mayankcricket for his hundred. Well played guys. Keep it up!
Suresh Raina@ImRaina: Unbeatable, unstoppable! @imVkohli, you are setting the bar higher each time. Congratulations on the double ton, brother. Shine on!
Shikhar Dhawan @SDhawan25: Congratulations @imVkohli bro on your stupendous innings and a record of 7 double centuries
Harbhajan Singh @harbhajan_singh: Run machine @imVkohli congratulations on your 26th test 100
Sanjay Manjrekar @sanjaymanjrekar: For a modern day successful T20 batsman, that Virat is also able to grind out a whole session (this morning) against quality bowling is his rare versatility & an important element of his greatness #indvsa
Brief scores
India 601-5d (V Kohli 254*,
M Agarwal 108, R Jadeja 91;
K Rabada 3-93) v SA 36-3
(T de Bruyn 20*; U Yadav 2-16)
Live on tv
India v South Africa: Star Sports 1, 1 HD, 09:30
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