Centuries from Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli helped India to 356/3 at stumps on Day 1 in Hyderabad in the one-off Test match between India and Bangladesh. Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay put on 178 for the 2nd wicket, with the former falling to Mehedi Hasan for 83.
At this point, Kohli joined forces with Vijay and piled on the misery with some diligent stroke play. The Tamil Nadu batsman was dismissed soon after his hundred by Taijul Islam but there was no stopping Kohli, who made his 9th hundred as Test skipper, the joint second most for an Indian captain.
Rahane, selected ahead of Karun Nair, gave him firm company in a 122-run partnership that came off a mere 158 balls. The Mumbai batsman finished on an unbeaten 45 while the captain remained not out on 111 off 145 balls.
Brief Scores: India 356/3 in 90 overs (Kohli 111*, Vijay 108, Pujara 83) at stumps, Day 1
#5 India drop Karun Nair for extra seamer
It is unusual for a player who has scored a triple hundred to sit out his next game. But such is the talent in the Indian ranks that Karun Nair, who blasted the England attack with a triple ton in his last innings, was forced to sit out.
India under Kohli, has preferred to play five bowlers with Jadeja and Ashwin doing an all-round job. Usually, there is place for a third spinner, but conditions in Hyderabad demanded an extra seamer and India have gone into the game with three of them - Ishant Sharma, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav.
Ajinkya Rahane, one of India's most consistent Test batsmen in the last few years was in danger of being dropped for the triple hundred hero, but Kohli and Kumble decided to stick with their more experienced batsman.
#4 Lokesh Rahul's habit should worry India
India won the toss and opted to bat first knowing that the ball would seam around early on but would then ease out into a good batting wicket. India had a disastrous start to the Test match; Lokesh Rahul attempted a loose drive off the 4th ball of the innings that ricocheted off the inside edge onto the stumps.
Although Rahul scored a brilliant 199 against England and has four hundreds in a short Test career, his tendency to be dismissed early in his innings should worry India in their next series against Australia, especially with Aussies armed with Mitchell Starc, who is deadly with the new ball.
Rahul's scores in his last five innings' before this one reads - 199, 24, 10, 0 and 38. India added Abhinav Mukund as back-up opener in the Test squad, a move that suggests Rahul's place isn't all that safe.
#3 Bangladesh mess up bowling changes
Bangladesh had the perfect start to the Test by getting rid of Rahul four balls into the game and then bowling some tight lines to Pujara and Vijay. But from a missed run out chance to get rid of Pujara early, Bangladesh started messing up things.
With two right-handers batting stoically, the Tigers introduced their young right arm off-spinner, Mehedi Hasan Miraz into the attack. Given that it is better to spin the ball away from the right-handed batsmen, they should have resorted to left-armer, Shakib-al-Hasan, who is also their most experienced bowler.
Once Pujara and Vijay were settled, there was no stopping them. But the right tactics early on could have fetched Bangladesh another wicket. With Pujara looking a bit circumspect against the short balls from one end, they could have tried the experienced hand of Shakib from the other end.
#2 Pujara's first class record and the Pujara-Vijay stand
Cheteshwar Pujara has been pretty good for India ever since his comeback to the national team. He has been a sturdy wall at no. 3, stalling any progress the opposition’s bowlers were making in penetrating the batting line-up.
In the process of his 83 in Hyderabad today, Pujara became the highest run scorer in India in a season in first-class cricket. He has 1605 runs in the 2016/17 season, beating the previous best of 1604 by Chandu Borde in 1964/65.
Vijay has been a great helping hand for Pujara in Tests this season, with the 178-run stand being the fifth-century partnership by this pair in the 2016/17 season.
#1 Kohli becomes third Indian to score 1000 runs in a season in India
Virat Kohli is undoubtedly a run machine, but 1000 runs in a country alone within a season is a rarity, even for the Indian captain. Kohli became only the third Indian to score 1000 runs in a season in India after Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag.
The Indian captain walked in at the fall of Pujara's wicket with the score at 180 and looked in ominous touch, as has been the case in the recent past. A spectacular straight drive off Taskin Ahmed had the commentators in awe and he soon followed that up with back to back cover drives off Kamrul Islam Rabbi.
With Vijay and Pujara back in the hut, India will hope that Kohli carries on with Rahane to take them to a total where they have to bat only once.
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