Team India got off to a solid start on day one of the second Test against England being played at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Openers Rohit Sharma (83) and KL Rahul (127*) gave India a perfect platform to post a huge first-innings total.
Skipper Virat Kohli joined the party but was unfortunate to miss out on a half-century as he got out on 42 as India ended the day at 276/3.
The Indian captain had registered a golden duck in the first Test at Nottingham. Kohli displayed much more discipline and hung around with KL Rahul after India lost Cheteshwar Pujara early, after a 126-run opening stand.
Kohli stitched a 117-run partnership with KL Rahul, who registered his name on the Lord’s honors board, with an amazing century. The England bowlers managed to beat Kohli’s bat multiple times but the batsman remained calm and played a patient knock.
Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar said that it was pleasing to see the Indian captain fight and work hard for his runs even when he is not in his best form in international cricket. Kohli edged an out-swinger bowled by Ollie Robinson
"That's what great players do (fight hard when they are not in form). Even great players have to do that. I don't quite know whether he is in bad form because there hasn't been a lot of Test cricket for him in the recent past. He played only one Test in Australia. Against England at home, he wasn't at his best. Still searching for a hundred for a while but he did what the team needed, "Ajit Agarkar told Sony Sports after the end of Thursday's play at Lord's.
"Unfortunately, for India, he nicked one towards the end. He was not at his fluent best but still got a partnership going," Agarkar added.
Kohli has been out of form for a while and has gone past the 50-run mark only thrice in the last 10 Tests, since his last hundred in the pink-ball Test against Bangladesh at Kolkata.
However, former Indian batsman Ajay Jadeja felt that Kohli looked in good touch.
"We are talking about a man who got 40-odd runs today and still not enough for him because that's the standards he has set for us. Over the years, we got used to it. Rarely in the past, he has gone past 20-30s and didn't end up with a big score. But that has not been happening in the recent past. But he is looking comfortable, solid," Ajay Jadeja said.
KL Rahul will resume batting with Ajinkya Rahane (1*) on day two and will further look to solidify India’s position in the match.
