Captain Kohli's blistering double century, Perera's shocking figures and other talking points

Ajit Vijaykumar 23:32 26/11/2017
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • India are in the driver's seat in the Nagpur Test.

    India took complete control of the second Test against Sri Lanka with captain Virat Kohli smashing his fifth double century in Tests and Rohit Sharma also joining the run fest with an unbeaten century. India amassed 610-6 to put the Test beyond the Sri Lankans.

    India will most likely call the shots over the next two days.

    Here, we look at two good and two bad efforts during the third day’s play in Nagpur.

    THE GOOD

    Kohli’s strike rate

    Captain Kohli’s double century was as effortless as it was high on strokeplay. In a a match where the rest of the batsmen took their time to score runs, Kohli batted freely scoring 213 off 267 balls at a strike rate of a shade under 80. It made up for the scoring rates of Murali Vijay (128 off 221) and the exceptionally slow Cheteshwar Pujara (143 off 362), and allowed India to have a go at Sri Lanka late in the day.

    Virat Kohli smashed his fifth double century.

    Virat Kohli smashed his fifth double century.

    Rohit stakes his claim

    Ajinkya Rahane got out for his third straight single digit score in the ongoing series, vacating the scene for his Mumbai team-mate Rohit Sharma to step up and score a century. No doubt the conditions and opposition made it that much easier but a hundred is a hundred and Sharma got there. Sharma is not a regular Test batsman but he does have four fifty plus scores in his last five innings. The selectors are looking at various options for the upcoming tour of South Africa and Sharma has done his chances no harm at all.

    Rohit Sharma (l) made the most of his opportunity.

    Rohit Sharma (l) made the most of his opportunity.

    THE BAD

    Perera’s forgettable outing

    Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera was a key performer during Sri Lanka’s stunning series win against Pakistan in the UAE. He took four wickets in the first Test and eight in the second. But in Nagpur, he looked far from a match-winner. While veteran left-armer Rangana Herath kept the scoring down by giving away just 81 runs from 39 overs, Perera undid all that hard work by bleeding 202 from 45. What’s worse, he had dropped centurion Murali Vijay when the batsman was on 61.

    Perera went for more than 200 runs in second Test.

    Perera went for more than 200 runs in second Test.

    Rahane’s home woes

    Ajinkya Rahane is a bit of an enigma. A technical maestro, Rahane’s home record pales in comparison to his away tally. The Mumbai batsman averages just 35 from 18 home games but 53 in 24 away matches. It makes it that much more difficult to pick him first up, at least in home Tests. His scores of 4, 0 and 2 in this series allowed the focus to drift to Rohit and the team management will be forced to think that much harder about the likely playing XI for the South Africa Tests.

    Ajinkya Rahane doesn't have a good record at home.

    Ajinkya Rahane doesn’t have a good record at home.

    Recommended