Images from Day 1 of the one-off Test between India and Bangladesh played in Hyderabad on Thursday
An insatiable Virat Kohli smashed his 16th Test century and Murali Vijay registered his ninth to steer India to a commanding 356 for three against Bangladesh on the opening day of a one-off Test in Hyderabad on Thursday.
India lost opener Lokesh Rahul in the first over of the match but were in a strong position at stumps after Vijay (108) added 178 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Kohli extended his recent run of powerful batting.
Kohli was on 111 at stumps, his fifth 50-plus score in the last seven Test innings, helping put India, currently the top-ranked Test team, on course for a big first innings total.
Ajinkya Rahane, returning from a finger injury, was batting on 45 at the other end, having played second fiddle to his skipper in their 122-run fourth wicket partnership.
Playing their first Test on Indian soil, Bangladesh got an early breakthrough when the sprightly Taskin Ahmed dismissed Lokesh Rahul with the fourth delivery of the match.
While many others in his place would probably have left the fuller delivery well outside the off-stump, Rahul went for an expansive cover drive without moving his feet, dragging the ball onto his wickets via a back-foot deflection.
Vijay and Pujara shrugged off occasional discomforts to help India overcome the loss with their fifth century stand of the current home season.
They patiently saw through the new ball threats from Taskin and Kamrul Islam Rabbi, the latter occasionally troubling them with the odd short ball, as the partnership bloomed.
Off-spinner Mehedi Hasan induced a couple of edges but could not break the association despite occasional comic running between the wickets.
On one such occasion, both the batsmen found themselves at the same end but bowler Mehedi could not collect a throw and dislodge the bails which could have sent Vijay, then on 35, back to the pavilion.
Vijay made Bangladesh pay for the lapse, bringing up his fifty in 82 balls and going on to hit Shakib Al Hasan straight back for the only six of his knock which also contained 12 boundaries.
Pujara was looking good for his 11th Test century when he edged Mehedi and Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim took the catch after the ball had hit the batsman's pad and popped up. He fell after a composed 83.
After the tea break, left-arm spinner Taijul Islam bowled Vijay around the leg.
There was no real respite for the tourists, however, as Kohli scored freely against the limited bowling resources of a team ranked eight places below India.
The right-hander needed 130 balls to bring up his fourth century in seven Tests, reaching the mark with his 10th boundary.
