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It is not a criticism of Virat Kohli’s batting to say
that his innings in a mediocre chase are repetitive. The repetitiveness of it,
a sign of his desire to make each start count, is what gives it its beauty.
This brings him even closer to the guy he carried on his shoulders on that
memorable April night in 2011, before delivering an epic line that caused a
nation of more than a billion people to cry happy tears. On Thursday, it helped
him score ODI century No. 48.
A run-torrent from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill came
before Kohli’s knock, which, towards the close, became a contest between his
hundred and a victory. The pair’s 88-run opening partnership in a chase of
257—a total that appeared to be well below par—was the stuff that batting
aspirations are built of. Gill took over to gradually shift into top speed
after Rohit, with his sluggish elegance, savage cuts, and huge pulls, handled
the early running.
Kohli brought everyone onto his ODI batting train
after the two fell against the grain of play, caught in the deep to strokes
they’d back themselves to execute 99 times out of a hundred. Shreyas Iyer and
KL Rahul made brief appearances to cap up India’s fourth straight resounding
victory, which has tied them for first place with New Zealand, who they will
face on Sunday in Dharamsala.
Both with the ball and on the pitch with his catches,
Ravindra Jadeja had set it up. His 2 for 38 total may not appear particularly
impressive at first, but it was crucial in bringing Bangladesh back from an
innings that was at breakneck speed.
Litton and Tanzid had laid the platform for a big
total on a pitch that seemed to be a paradise for batsmen to play their shots,
but after both of them departed, the Bangladesh innings was in danger of
unravelling spectacularly until Mahmudullah revived them to take them to 256.