India recovered from the sluggish start to end the day at 302/4 against West Indies in the first Test in Antigua.

Virat Kohli continued his sublime form to ease to a 12th hundred and lead India to 302 for four on day one of the first Test against the West Indies here today.

Kohli (143 batting) led from the front to lay a solid platform for his team with the other major contribution coming from opener Shikhar Dhawan (84).

The pitch was flat and the West Indies bowling lacked depth to trouble the visitors who found it tough early on after Kohli opted to bat.

Starting at 65 after tea, Kohli put on 57 runs with Ajinkya Rahane (22) as the duo looked to build after losing both Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara (16) in the second session of play. Rahane was nearly dismissed cheaply, for 5 runs, as Shannon Gabriel (1-43) induced an edge that fell short of slips. But thereafter the vice-captain tightened up his game and didn’t give another chance until his eventual dismissal.

In the meantime, the duo kept the run-rate flowing, bringing up the 200-mark in the 61st over. Then, five overs later, they brought up their 50-partnership, coming off only 65 balls. Kohli was looking particularly good in this period, as cover drives and on-drives started booming off his blade.

Just as they were looking good, Rahane was dismissed, a loose stroke off Devendra Bishoo (3-108) lobbing up and he was caught at midwicket. It was yet another loose dismissal for India, with only Murali Vijay (7) getting out to a good delivery earlier in the morning. Kohli and Ashwin’s stand partnership rescued India from what looked like a disappointing first outing for the five top-order batsmen theory.

Kohli joins 3000-run club

Virat Kohli today crossed the 3000-run mark while batting on day one of the first Test against the West Indies here today.

Kohli, playing his 42nd Test, took 73 innings to reach the milestone behind Virender Sehwag (55 innings), Mohammad Azharuddin (64), Sunil Gavaskar (66), Gautam Gambhir (66), Rahul Dravid (67), Sachin Tendulkar (67) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (70).

Kohli has scored 11 hundreds in the five-day format to go with 12 half centuries