TEST 2 DAY 1 REVIEW- Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara helped India reach strong position

India won the toss and chose to bat but the decision took a dent in the first half-hour of the play

Early wickets for England in the morning session

People who woke up late today could not have witnessed the two openers on the crease, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay. 

Rahul brought in place of Gautam Gambhir was the first one to depart without troubling the scoreboard. He was out on a duck after edging a good delivery from Stuart Broad. Ben Stokes took the catch.

Murali Vijay hit a few fours showing his intent but James Anderson who was playing his first test since August, surprised Vijay with a well directed short ball which proved too much for him and he gave a catch to Ben Stokes. 

India were reduced to 22/2.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli needed to build a partnership to take India to a comfortable position. 

Both the batsmen were tested by some short balls at the start, but they handled it well, stabilising the innings,  taking their time, setting themselves in, taking singles and hitting boundaries. 

Gradually they managed to pull India back in the game. 

The two batsmen had a great understanding, but they were caught in conundrum in the 18th over of while completing a single. It was a chaotic situation. But, otherwise they had no issues whatsoever. 

India finished first session at 92/2. 

After lunch, Kohli and Pujara decided to have a go at the English bowlers. Both players dealt in boundaries, scored runs with a run rate of over 4. 

They completed their 50 respectively. 

Big Moment in the match

Virat Kohli was batting on 56. On Ben Stokes' delivery Kohli played a shot which went in the air to fine leg and Adil Rashid couldn't hold on to complete the catch. 

It was surely a big moment in the game as Virat Kohli didn't look back after this. 

Both batsmen scored runs at a similar pace and reached their 90s. 

India scored 118 runs in the 2nd session. 

Funny Moment in the match 

Pujara was batting on 97, he would have loved to finish his century before tea but a dog had other ideas. The dog came into the pitch running on the lush green outfield and ground staff was not able to take the hound off the ground. 

Even players from the both the teams enjoyed this light moment. 

And due to this incident tea was taken a bit earlier, even before the over was completed. 

Kohli and Pujara reached their Centuries

After tea, Pujara was first to reach his century, in Sehwag's style, by hitting a six off Adil Rashid. Pujara's 3rd test century in his third consecutive match.

Virat soon joined him completing his 15th Test century and his 7th as a skipper. 

Pujara and Kohli completed 200 run partnership, it was their second 200 run stand. 

Pujara was dismissed on 119 by James Anderson in a similar fashion like he was in the last test. He failed to make a big hundred again. Kohli and Pujara had a 226 run stand. 

Then came Ajinkya Rahane, who looked a bit under pressure. He tried hard though to gain confidence after putting away some bad deliveries. 

Their was also an lbw appeal against Kohli in the 80th over, umpire turned it down but England decided to review it. Umpire decision stood out and Virat Kohli stayed.

Virat Kohli meanwhile completed his 150 runs. It's his 3rd score of 150+ in this calendar year as a captain. 

New ball did the trick for England

England were in search of the 4th wicket, to take something away from today's play and new ball did it for them. 

It was the 89th over when England took the new ball, all Rahane had to do was to not lose his concentration but a slight lapse and he played a nothing shot, edged the ball to the slips and gifted his wicket to Anderson. 

Ashwin held on in the last over to complete India day's play on a high.

India finished the day at 317/4.

Kohli on 151* and Ashwin on 1*.

James Anderson was the pick of the bowlers with his 3 wickets. 

It will be interesting to see how England will respond in Day 2.