Kohli, Rahane torment New Zealand with triple-hundred stand

Tea India 456 for 3 (Kohli 207*, Rahane 161*) v New ZealandLive scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane extended their fourth-wicket partnership to 356 and subjected New Zealand to a third successive wicketless session in Indore. At tea on day two, India were 456 for 3, with Kohli batting on 207, his second double-century in Tests, and Rahane on 161. Both were batting on their highest Test scores, and their partnership was already India’s highest ever for the fourth wicket.

Kohli, who scored 200 against West Indies in July, in Antigua, became the first Indian batsman to make two double-hundreds as captain. He also became the first Indian batsman since Sachin Tendulkar in 2010 to score two double-tons in a year.

The pitch continued to belie its appearance, the multitude of cracks on its surface causing the batsmen only the occasional bit of discomfort, usually when the odd ball kept low. Kohli nearly played on when he went back to defend one such ball from Jeetan Patel, early in the day: it hit the toe-end of his bat, then the ground, and then bounced over the stumps. Later in the morning session, Rahane jammed his bat down hurriedly to keep out another ankle-high Patel shooter. Otherwise, there was little in either the bowling or the pitch to worry Kohli and Rahane.

Kohli carried on batting with the same understated authority he had displayed on day one. That Patel delivery aside, he was …

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