Kohli makes history with first double century in Tests

Published July 22, 2016
India's captain Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring a double-century during day two of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua. — AP
India's captain Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring a double-century during day two of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua. — AP

KOLKATA: India captain Virat Kohli scored his first double century in any format when he whipped Roston Chase for a quick single in the first session of the second day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Friday.

In the process, Kohli became the first Indian skipper to score a double hundred overseas in Tests.

He also surpassed his personal best of 197 not out, scored for Delhi against Pakistan’s Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd in September 2008 during the Mohammed Nissar Trophy at the Feroze Shah Kotla.

Read: Just how good is Virat Kohli?

Kohli was on 200 off 281 deliveries at lunch, with India’s scoreboard reading 404 for 4. Giving him company was Ravichandran Ashwin on 64.

But the swashbuckling Kohli fell in the first over after lunch without a run being added when he tiredly dragged speedster Shannon Gabriel onto the stumps.

The pair had begun the second day with India comfortably perched at 302 for 4, and added 102 runs in 29 overs at a rate of 3.52. Their partnership yielded 168 runs.

Kohli’s innings, studded with 24 fours but no six – unusual for a score of 200 – was marked by its controlled aggression; he took no risk but yet maintained a whopping strike rate of 71.

Read: Kohli the ultimate example for Pakistan cricketers, says Dean Jones

When Kohli reached 100 on Thursday, his 12th Test century in 41 matches, he had taken 134 deliveries to reach the three-figure mark. It was his ninth overseas Test ton, most of them coming against Australia – five.

The now-discontinued Mohammad Nissar Trophy was envisaged as an annual first-class cricket competition played over four days between the most recent winner of the Ranji Trophy in India and the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy in Pakistan.

Named after former pre-Partition Indian Test cricketer Mohammad Nissar, the tournament was held only three times before being discontinued after the 2008 edition, won by SNGPL.

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