Skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara hit centuries as India reached 317 for four at stumps on the first day of the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. (BLOG)
Kohli, unbeaten on 151, and Pujara (119) put together a marathon 226-run stand for the third wicket after the hosts lost their openers early to the England seamers.
Returning paceman James Anderson claimed three wickets while Stuart Broad took one. (SCOREBOARD)
Earlier electing to bat, India lost for their openers, KL Rahul and Murali Vijay inside five overs when Pujara and Kohli calmed the proceedings.
Making a hurried return after he was pulled in from an ongoing first-class match, Rahul got out for duck edging Stuart Broad to Ben Stokes at the third slip.
Murali Vijay (20) looked in fine nick and hit four boundaries en route to reach 3000 runs.
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But against a rising delivery from James Anderson, he found himself clueless as the ball came off his gloves and looped to Ben Stokes at gully.
{{/usCountry}}But against a rising delivery from James Anderson, he found himself clueless as the ball came off his gloves and looped to Ben Stokes at gully.
{{/usCountry}}Broad was soon off the field after aggravating his right wrist cut that he had sustained in the first Test as Stokes came in to replace him in the eighth over.
England tested the Indian duo with rising short deliveries but Pujara and Kohli were up for the challenge.
An exciting battle between the English leading wicket taker Anderson and Kohli was on display and the Indian skipper looked to have the upper hand when he got off the mark with an elegant boundary coming forward.