OPENING STATEMENT

Rohit’s brisk hundred & Rahane’s half-century help India post 300/6 on Day 1

- VENKATA KRISHNA B@Chennai

REPRODUCING the pitch at the nets by creating rough areas to give spinners that extra grip and zip, batsmen stretching forward in defence, using their feet to smother the turn, sweeping, et al. These were some of the drills Indian batsmen went about during the three-day break before the second Test. The perks of playing at home is that you can mould the texture of the surface to your liking. But the perils of backfiring always lingers.

India’s primary objective was to put some run on board, something that would matter now after batting first on a wicket that has shown glimpses of ‘rank turner’. Those drills and the urge to score paid off on Day 1 as opener Rohit Sharma scored 161 and India 300 for 6. He also shared a 162-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane for the fourth wicket to rescue India after a slight wobble after losing Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli in space of six balls.

If Root’s knock in the first Test set up england a perfect platform, Rohit has given India one here. on a pitch where other batsmen were not in complete control, Rohit played an innings to savour. Natural shot-making at times and at times cautious, Rohit paced his innings well. He slowed down in the second session (scored only 52 runs) as India needed some stability.