On a record-breaking day, Bangladesh could only sit back and admire Virat Kohli’s batting perfection

Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was wrong when he said this is not a landmark Test. For, Friday was all about milestones, even if the visitors were on the receiving end. And there is really only one place to begin with – the No. 4 spot in the Indian batting line-up.

In the span of eight months, Virat Kohli has scored four double hundreds in Test cricket. All of them have come in consecutive Test series, and he has surpassed the likes of Sir Donald Bradman and Rahul Dravid, illustrious names who have left a fine print on world cricket. So, the question to ask is, has Kohli done the same as well, already?

The answer can only be in affirmative, and you simply need to rewind the clock a couple years, when India were on a never-ending overseas journey. He scored hundreds in South Africa and New Zealand, suffered a massive downturn in England, and then responded in style in Australia, scoring four centuries in four Tests. The little grouse against him – the absence of “daddy hundreds”, as he likes to call them.

The insatiable appetite for runs

From 2015 to 2017, two years hence, how times have changed. Coming on the heels of a fine Indian Premier League season, Antigua was the onset of something special. He eased to a maiden double hundred against a non-threatening West Indies’ attack. Indore, against New Zealand, was only a reaffirmation. Yes, he could do it all over again, faced with a better bowling unit.

Mumbai, against England, was the confirmation that he is the world’s best batsman today. It makes for some wonderment then – how do you define his feat against Bangladesh? Well, for starters, it is a combination of all three.

This double hundred in Hyderabad was easier than the one in Antigua. Kohli was beaten (against the odd turning ball) on a sum total of two occasions. Yes, two balls out of the 246 he faced. Like the one in Indore, it was an endorsement that scoring double hundreds is now as natural to him as eating breakfast, or even breathing, if you please.

And what does the best batsman in the world do when faced with a non-penetrative bowling attack? He milks them, for as many runs as possible. At will!

Not a science, but a formula

Watching Kohli bat here just offers one conclusion. His batting, the art form he so immaculately possesses, is not really a science. It is a formula instead – score some boundaries, run hard when you can, hit some more fours, run harder, rinse repeat. You could see this – as he scored a hundred off 130 balls yesterday, then moved from 111 overnight to 191 at lunch, before breaching the 200-mark off 239 balls. From a hundred to double hundred in 109 deliveries, never getting out of third gear.

There were 24 boundaries, and he ran the rest 108, with no aerial shots therein. It is a simple concoction of scoring and scoring, and then scoring some more until either the bowlers drop dead, or he gets bored. That last bit has not happened yet, given his insatiable appetite. As such, this is batting perfection, and no bowler in the world has an antidote for Kohli at present.

The ‘Virat’ effect rubs off on his teammates too

And it inspires others around him, in a domino effect. Kohli bats not just for himself, but others as well, coaxing them to play their natural game irrespective of outcome. Sample this from Wriddhiman Saha. “That’s why I tried playing that shot (referring to the missed stumping chance). Virat said that it’s not a problem, and if you again get a chance, hit it. Don’t worry if you are new to the crease. He always gives you confidence.”

As skipper, he tries to trigger this conviction in his squad, giving them opportunity and time to reach personal milestones. Saha scored a hundred here, and Ravindra Jadeja added to his tally of half-centuries because there were ample overs to spare. This philosophy has manifested itself in such a symbiotic manner that team India has a unique record in world cricket now – of scoring successive 600-plus scores in three consecutive Test innings.

It reflects in each of these three occasions. The first was in Mumbai, when Kohli batted with Jayant Yadav and deflated England. The latter scored his maiden hundred in only his third Test, becoming an important cog in the wheel. The second was in Chennai, when the primary batsmen were out cheaply and two youngsters held their own. KL Rahul and Karun Nair are prime examples of this confidence inculcated in the team through careful investment in each player.

And now the third is in Hyderabad, when Kohli himself set the base for a tall score, and Saha grabbed his chance again. In fact, so did Ajinkya Rahane who scored a much needed half-century after a poor outing against England. Both were injured and sat out, recovered and came back to impress again, and they were given the license to do so.

“It’s a great plus for the players because after an injury hiatus when one makes a comeback, if you are clearly told that as and when you recover you will be back in the team, the individual gets more motivated and that reflects in your performance,” said Saha.

There is a reason why India is the No.1 Test side in the world. They possess the world’s best batsman and he leads them with self-belief, and with a steely resolve to pursue only one result, victory.

In what scenario, did Bangladesh ever have a chance in this match?