Such was Virat Kohli’s discipline in his over seven-hour knock that he went 161 balls without hitting a boundary en route to his 28th Test century at the Motera on Sunday, preferring to accumulate runs in a risk-free manner.

“It was so hot out there and the way he ran between the wickets and built the partnership, it was really great. His discipline stood out,” Axar Patel, Kohli’s partner in a 162- run stand for the sixth wicket on Sunday, said.

Axar, most consistent with the bat for India in this series, added that Kohli had egged him on to go for a maiden Test hundred. “Once I was set, I was connecting everything that came into my radar.

“He was also giving me inputs. Like, once I got my fifty, I should bat long since there were still 22 overs left in the day.”

There wasn’t any specific message from the dressing room, Axar stated, and the only strategy was to play positively, which Kohli emphasised during their sixth-wicket partnership.

“When I was batting with Viratbhai, there wasn’t any specific message from the team. Viratbhai told me to continue playing positively, which I do most of the time.

“Once we got well set, run-scoring became easier as bowlers also weren’t getting much assistance from the pitch. And once I was set, I was connecting the deliveries which were in my arc.

“Viratbhai was also saying that once I had got to 50, I could think big since 22 overs were left in the day’s play. There was no message, though, regarding the declaration or scoring quickly.

“The way the pitch was behaving with him batting on 150 and I over 50, runs were coming faster in any case,” Axar, whose 79 comprised five fours and four sixes, explained.

Iyer doubtful

The resurfacing lower-backpain casts doubts over ShreyasIyer’s availability for the three ODI series against Australia beginning on Friday. It also remains to be seen if Shreyas, captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, is fit for the first phase of the IPL.

Written with PTI inputs