India vs England: Virat Kohli’s 23rd ton sets India up for comeback win

From the twin centuries at the Adelaide Oval to the 153 in Centurion or the majestic 149 in Birmingham, it is strange that on most occasions Virat Kohli has hit a hundred overseas, India has faced defeat (5). But at Trent Bridge on Monday, the Indian skipper ensured that his 13^th ton in abroad and 23^rd overall will not go a waste.

Kohli smashed 103, his second century of the series, which not just sucked the punch out of most England bowlers but once again reiterated that 2014 is long behind, buried and burnt.

It was not the typical Kohli century, where post 50 he gets into One-Day mode but was composed and measured to perfection. Here Kohli did not play the master but was an able partner and just like he had helped an under-confident and out-of-form Ajinkya Rahane fins his groove in the first inning, Cheteshwar Pujara reaped the benefits in the second.

The Indian No.3 made a fighting 72 and helped by a couple of lusty blows from Hardik Pandya (52), India declared on 352/7 with a mammoth lead of 520.

After some free-flow cricket in the first two days of the Trent Bridge Test, it was the visitors who dominated the morning session – nulling the England swing threat by scoring just 24 in the opening 15 overs – and they finished it the same way, with the mere consolation for England being the 23/0 they managed in the final nine overs of the day.

That consolation, however, finds no merit in the presence of a breathtaking news that Jonny Bairstow has broken his left middle finger and might not bat in the second innings.

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England was not helped either by the fallible fingers of their compatriots in the slips. Jos Buttler – who later donned the wicket-keeping gloves – dropped Pujara on 40 off James Anderson. And as if fate was tormenting the 36-year-old throughout the match, he was at the end of another dropped catch, this time of Kohli.

The Indian skipper was batting on 93 when Anderson’s late outswinger edged Kohli’s bat straight to Keaton Jennings at gully. For a moment it seemed that after missing a century by three agonizing runs in the first essay, Kohli might once again have to be content with the 90s. But Jennings dropped –  not the ball but himself, for the ball had run away through him even before he could react – not getting a touch as the ball flew in between his arms, legs, body and what not.

And Anderson’s reaction – he went on his haunches, covered his face with his hands and yelled – clearly told you how badly and deeply he wanted Kohli’s wicket. After dismissing him four times in as many Test matches in 2014, the World No.1 Test bowler is yet to get him out even once this series.

Having survived that chance and the next one which landed in-front of Cook, the captain notched up his 23^rd century, with a boundary once again through Jennings. Balls later Chris Woakes got him plumb before the wicket and although Kohli fell to a wasted review, India had by then raced to a lead excess of 450.

Rahane then stitched a short 49-run partnership with Pandya, before falling to Adil Rashid, who claimed the second wicket when Mohammed Shami in an urge to score quick runs mistimed one to mid-wicket.

Soon India declared after Pandya had reached his fourth half-century and England had been drained off having bowled 110 over, most of them to Kohli and Pujara.

The duo beginning on the overnight score of 124/2, steadied the ship, overseeing the opening spells of both Anderson and Stuart Broad, before accelerating when Rashid and Stokes came to bowl.