West Indies clawed their way back into the match after skipper Rohit Sharma (80) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (57) put on 139 runs for the first wicket. But Kohli (87 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (36 not out) put on an unbroken 106-run partnership that helped the visitors close the first day’s proceedings on 288/4 in 84 overs, after being 182/4 at tea.
Kohli, who got off the mark on his 21st delivery, is just 13 runs away from reaching his 29th Test century in his 500th match in international cricket.
“Well, he is not too far from his century. So, once he gets to that score, the amount of patience that he has shown already in Dominica and again in Trinidad, you expect him to actually convert that century — if he gets to that — into a really be one,” Chopra was quoted as saying by broadcasters JioCinema.
Asked on what would be an ideal first-innings score on this slow pitch, Chopra said, “India would like to score as many as they can because they have been asked to bat first. I don’t think they have a score in mind or will have a score in mind on Day Two and everybody should get to bat. If you get to 550 that would be great, but will India get to 550? We don’t know. But they would want as many as they can.”
Chopra believes the pitch on day two will continue to favour batsmen even though it is showing signs of slowing down, thus bringing spinners into play later on.
“It is slow; it is going to be low, but I am not expecting demons in the pitch with regards to batting against the spinners or even against the fast bowlers. The second new ball is due. They will take it at some stage. But I don’t see even that ball threatening the Indian batters.”
–IANS
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