Virat Kohli hit just one six in his four double hundreds

Among batsmen who have played at least 10 matches in each worldwide format, Kohli boasts the best average (52.61 across 281 matches). Kohli had made it very clear that team was willing to back their core players upon return from injury and through temporary loss of form. In the next ten, he has four double hundreds and two scores of 150-plus. He was looking good for more.

Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli share a joke during their 54-run stand for the third wicket on Thursday.

Comeback man Ajinkya Rahane completed his half century. He’d worked himself into an indispensable member of the squad before a thigh strain cut short his England series to just two Tests.

Kohli began the day on 111, with India 356 for three, and wasted little time in extending the hosts’ stranglehold at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Kohli was joined by Wriddhiman Saha, who, too, was making his return after an injury lay-off. Brutality and innovation are features of a modern batsman even in Test cricket, but Vijay’s batting is steeped in tradition. This after India declared their innings at 687/6 with Saha on 106 and Jadeja on 60.

It was another bad day in the office for the fielding side.

Six of Kohli’s centuries have come against Australia.

He bowled a second-best 42 overs and took 2-165.

The India captain was adjudged leg-before to off-spinner Mehedi Hasan when on 180, but he called for a review of the decision and had it overturned after replays suggested the ball would have missed the stumps. All-rounder M Mahmudullah, who bowls in limited-over formats, only came on to bowl after the 145th over of the innings.

Tamim Iqbal (24 not out) looked solid at the other end and had the company of Mominul Haque (1) as Bangladesh trail by 646 runs with nine wickets in hand at stumps. “Obviously, I got to learn a lot”, teenage Bangladesh offspinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz said. But it seemed that he was well forward.

The gulf between India and Bangladesh is more than just their positions in the ICC Test rankings.

Kohli, though, thinking he was out, decided against it, allowing the mortal batsmen to take court again as he sat back and contemplated his plans for the Bangladesh batting innings. After some thinking, the team went for the review of the caught behind appeal.

The Sultan of Multan, Virender Sehwag continued to impress his followers on Twitter with another one adding to his list as he said, “Enjoying Sunbath at home, much like the Indian batsmen have enjoyed the Bangladeshi bowling”. “Actually on this kind of wicket, bowlers have to be patient”.