After missing out in Adelaide, Indian captain Virat Kohli was at his best in Perth in the ongoing second Test match.
India dismissed Australia for 326 courtesy a 4-wicket haul by Ishant Sharma. There was this common consensus that on a pitch with a lot of spite, it was a score which could challenge the Indian batting order. The visitors got off to a shocking start as both the openers were dismissed even before the score had reached 10.
Out walked captain Kohli and he signalled his intent from the word go as he peeled off three boundaries off one Josh Hazelwood. The Australians tried to bowl straight and this enabled Kohli to clip it away towards mid-wicket. He was troubled a couple of times by Pat Cummins and then by Nathan Lyon, but he kept digging in.
Innings in numbers
The captain held India's innings together, as he scripted his 20th half-century in Test cricket. With this innings, he broke the rut he was against Australia as it was his first fifty-plus after 8 innings. This made him the 2nd batsman from India along with VVS Laxman. Sachin Tendulkar leads this list with 13 fifty plus scores. Also, this was his 8th score of more than 50 in overseas conditions this year.
With this innings, the Indian captain also became the leading batsman in 2018 as far as scores upwards 50 is concerned. He went past Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne and England skipper Joe Root.
"We certainly get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches because we understand that we do have a bowling attack that can bowl the opposition out as much as they are convinced about their attack," Kohli said before the match and by all means he has walked the talk on a tough surface.
"We understand that if we bat well, we definitely get the results that we want. So it's a very exciting phase to be in and we need to build on," he further added.
India ended day 2 on 172 fr 3 with captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten on the crease.
