Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.
Venue- Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad [February 9-13, 2017].
In February 2017, the Bangladeshi cricket team traveled to India to play one Test match. Surprisingly, this was the Bangladesh Cricket Team's first test tour of India. Initially the tour was planned for August 2016, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stated that the first week of February appeared more feasible due to previous commitments made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Interestingly, Mushfiqur Rahim, the captain of Bangladesh, downplayed the historic significance of the tour by stating that we want to play in a way that will make India want to welcome us again and again. He said, "This to me is just another Test match." The visitors as well as the hosts will, however, remember this test match for a very long time thanks to Virat Kohli and company.
Indian Captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to go first. The pitch looked perfect for batting, and everyone was up for some brilliant batting masterclass. However, Taskin Ahmed picked up a wicket in the first over itself as the Indian scorecard read 2/1. The Visitors were off to a great start. But their happiness did not last long, as they faced the brute of the mighty Indian batting lineup. Murali Vijay and Wriddhiman scored gritty centuries, whereas Pujara, Rahane, and Jadeja also made valuable contributions from the bat.
However, the performance that stood at the top was another King Kohli masterclass. Captain Kohli scored yet another double hundred as Indians declared at a massive total of 687/6. In an innings that lasted for around 5 hours, Kohli hit a total of 24 boundaries to reach his 200. Interestingly, when he was batting on 199, he took the aerial route to get to his double hundred. It was truly a magnificent innings from the Indian captain.
Moreover, India set a number of individual and team records during the Test match. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara both set personal batting records during the first innings. With 1,605 runs, Pujara surpassed the record for most runs by a batsman in an Indian first-class season. Chandu Borde established the previous record in the 1964–65 season with 1,604 runs. With 1,168 test runs in a home season, Kohli broke the previous record. The previous record was held by Virender Sehwag, who scored 1,105 runs during the 2004–05 season. In addition, Kohli became the first player to score a double century in four straight Test Series. The previous record, shared by Rahul Dravid and Don Bradman, was three straight series.
Furthermore, India's declared first innings total of 687 was the first time a side in Test cricket had scored 600 or more in three straight innings. The Bangladeshis were nowhere close to their Indian counterparts as they bundled out in no time. Thus, handing Indians one more massive victory. This time of 208 runs. Moreover, this victory marked India's sixth consecutive test series win. It all started in September 2015 with a series win against Sri Lanka and continued till January 2018. Apart from that, Virat Kohli achieved the most consecutive Test victories of any Indian captain with this series victory over Bangladesh, going 19 straight without a loss.
King Kohli indeed scripted history in Hyderabad. It was truly the best of times.
To watch the Innings of Virat Kohli, Click Here.
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