Kohli, Rohit put India in command

Bat once, bat big. That would have been India's strategy after its bowlers skittled Sri Lanka for a paltry 205 in the first innings of the second Test in Nagpur.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma ensured they implemented the plan to perfection, following up centuries from M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara with big knocks of their own to drown Sri Lanka in a sea of runs.

Kohli scored his fifth double-century (213) and Rohit got his third Test ton (102*), powering India to 610 for 6 and a lead of 405 before the declaration came at the VCA Stadium on Sunday (November 26). In nine overs before stumps on the third day, India managed to dismiss Sadeera Samarawickrama to reduce Sri Lanka to 21 for 1.

Sri Lanka was helpless and hapless through the day but India showed no mercy. It piled on the runs relentlessly through big partnerships, with Kohli at the forefront. The Indian captain first added 183 with Pujara for the third wicket and then followed it up with a 173-run stand for the fifth wicket with Rohit. All this, after Vijay and Pujara had put on 209 for the second wicket.

India started the day on 312 for 2 with Pujara requiring just 29 for his 150 and Kohli needing 46 for his ton. It was the latter who got to his milestone first, scoring effortlessly with the odd boundary and also keeping Sri Lanka on its toes with quick running. He picked the weak fielders to perfection, forcing misfields and overthrows as Dinesh Chandimal's men became increasingly sloppy on the park.

Having spent the entire second day on the field, there was very little the tired Sri Lankan bowlers could do. They were defensive right through, and found it hard to penetrate the stubborn Indian batting. The already tired attack also lost Lahiru Gamage briefly in the second session, the bowler hurting his leg while falling awkwardly in the field.

The day started with Pujara being rock solid in defence. The No. 3 batsman took 23 balls to get his first run of the day and continued to block almost everything that came his way.

All along, Kohli kept rotating the strike, one such single off Suranga Lakmal taking him to his 19th century. But Pujara did score some runs now and then, along the way becoming the fastest to 3000 Test runs in India. His 363-ball vigil was finally ended by a Dasun Shanaka yorker against the run of play late in the first session.

Sri Lanka had early success in the next session when Ajinkya Rahane cut Dilruwan Perera straight to point. From there on, it was a Rohit-Kohli show.

Rohit, playing his first Test since October last year, got off the mark with a first-ball drive to the cover boundary. He soon got into the groove and took the attack to the spinners, charging down to hit Rangana Herath and Perera for sixes down the ground. There were no signs of nerves, although it did help that he walked in with India on 410 for 4.

Meanwhile, Kohli also went aerial for the first time in the innings, smashing Perera over long-on to cross his 150. Both batsmen opened up in the third session, by which time the bowlers' lengths shortened, allowing easy runs through the on-side.

Kohli got to his fifth double-ton by driving Perera to long-on for an easy single and soon perished, holing out to long-on looking to smash Perera out of the park. Perera added one more scalp soon, going through R Ashwin's attempted drive. It was little consolation for the off-spinner, who conceded 202 runs from 45 overs for his three wickets.

The only reason India batted on after Ashwin’s fall was for Rohit's imminent milestone. He got there punching Shanaka through the off-side, resulting in India calling the batsmen in.

Samarawickrama shouldered arms to Ishant Sharma off the second delivery of Sri Lanka’s second innings, the ball nipping in and disturbing the off-stump. Lahiru Thirimanne and Dimuth Karunaratne saw through the remaining short phase of play, but have plenty more work to do if they're to save this Test.