Virat Kohli single-handedly battled the England bowlers in difficult batting conditions at Edgbaston on Day 2 of the opening Test on Thursday. The Indian skipper scored his 22nd Test hundred, his first in England as India reduced the deficit to just 13 runs. After reaching his century, Kohli reached under his shirt and kissed the ring he had attached to a chain. The Indian skipper then gave a flying kiss to his wife Anushka Sharma, who was watching from the stands in Birmingham.
India batting coach Sanjay Bangar praised Kohli’s innings by saying: “At one stage we were staring down the barrel, and the gap was huge, but because of his brilliance, and the commitment shown by the batsmen around him, it’s still even stevens for both sides.
“He showed terrific discipline, I felt,” added Bangar, a former India batsman. “At no instance did he reach out for the ball”
Kohli was on 97 when No. 11 Umesh Yadav came in but the tailender kept his wicket intact.
A late cut four off Stokes, his 14th boundary in 172 balls, saw Kohli reach his 22nd Test hundred.
The 29-year-old then struck several stylish attacking shots, including a classic cover-drive for four off Stokes and a lofted six off leg-spinner Adil Rashid.
And when a two off Rashid took him to 135, it meant Kohli had made more runs than he did in the whole of his maiden Test series in England in 2014, when he managed a meagre 134 runs in 10 innings.
Kohli eventually fell when he cut Rashid straight to Stuart Broad at backward point.
