Rohit Sharma, dropped from India’s squad for the Tests, and Virat Kohli proved they have the patience to play long innings, scoring 105 each to give their team the honours on the first day of the tour match in Hyderabad. Facing their first stern test of the tour, and a flat track, the Australian spinners suffered heavy punishment after the fast bowlers had reduced the Board President’s XI to 59 for 3.

Rohit was, without doubt, the star of the day. Two shots showcased his intent. The first came when he was on 67; a long-on had materialised for the offspinner Jason Krejza after Rohit had lofted him over the infield a couple of times. Rohit responded by waltzing down the track to swing the ball over the fielder’s head. The second challenge came on 99. Michael Clarke put on the pressure by firing a few dot balls outside leg stump from over the wicket. Rohit shuffled outside leg and punched it sweetly to the right of mid-off. No violence, just a confident move to get outside the line and find the gap.

At the other end, Kohli moved along almost unnoticed. In his last game, the Irani Cup, Zaheer Khan had harassed him by bending back full-length deliveries in the second innings after troubling him with bouncers in the first. In light of that fact, Kohli had it relatively easy today. He crept to 14 from 36 balls against the seamers before hitting his stride against Krejza and Clarke. He created his own length against the slow men – 68 of his runs came against them – by using his feet, and feasted whenever any bowler, seam or spin, erred in line. He played his trademark whips through midwicket, scoring 36 runs in that region, and picked up 35 off cut shots.
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