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Kohli leads India to dominating position on Day 1
At the end of Day 1, India are 371/4 after Vijay's 155 and Kohli's 156 and not out. Choosing to bat first at the green wicket, it was Vijay who guided India through a stable start.
New Delhi: Batting at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground here, opener Murali Vijay and skipper Virat Kohli's daunting partnership cemented India's position in the first innings of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka.
At the end of Day 1, India are 371/4 after Vijay's 155 and Kohli's 156 and not out. Choosing to bat first at the green wicket, it was Vijay who guided India through a stable start.Vijay scored his second ton in successive innings while Kohli, who is in a rich form, hit his third hundred in a row and 20th in a Test.
Meanwhile, captain fantastic, who slammed the fifth double hundred of his career in the Nagpur Test, also became the fourth-fastest Indian to reach 5,000 runs in Tests.
Right-handed opening batsman Vijay build a 283 run partnership with Kohli after early departure of Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Dhawan, who opted out of the second Test, citing personal reasons, started well and hit a couple of boundaries but could not last long on the crease. He lost his wicket to Dilruwan Perera, who claimed his 100th for Sri Lanka with Dhawan's wicket. Pujara's wicket was claimed by Lahiru Gamage.
However, Kohli and Vijay took for India from then. The two proved invincible for India and fatal for the Lankan bowlers as they leaked runs here and there to help Vijay reach his 11th Test hundred, Kohli his 20th.
It was Lakshan Sandakan who finally got rid of Vijay at 155. Coming to bat at number five, Ajinkya Rahane was sent back for just one, however, Kohli remained rooted even after. The two late wickets for Sri Lanka were grabbed by Lakshan Sandakan but the damage by the hosts was done by then.
India will resume the game on Sunday with Kohli and Rohit Sharma on crease and batting at 156 and 6 respectively. The hosts are currently leading the series 1-0, now need just a draw to equal Australia and West?Indies' record of nine consecutive Test series wins.(ANI)