Top 5 batting performances in the Indian home season of 2016-17

#1 Virat Kohli – 235 v England, Wankhede, Mumbai

Virat Kohli’s double century against England was one of the best innings in recent times

This season has seen several tons from the bat of Virat Kohli, even as he became the first batsman in the history of the game to score double centuries in four successive Test series. However, this double century in the third Test against England on a tough pitch in adverse conditions takes the cake.

England posted a sizable 400 after batting first and in reply, India went through a mini middle-order collapse that saw them being reduced to 307 for 6 still behind by 93 runs. In fine counter-attacking cricket, Kohli added 57 with Ravindra Jadeja for the seventh wicket and a record-shattering 241 for the eighth wicket with Jayant Yadav pushing the score eventually to 631.

In his 515-minute vigil, Kohli hit just one six, showing supreme control and a sense of responsibility. The double ton was not on a lifeless track but one that was doing something while he had to contend with two spinners in Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, and quality seam bowling from four pacers – Anderson, Woakes, Stokes and Ball.

The innings broke the back of England as they stooped to an innings defeat, a rare case of a team scoring 400 batting first and still losing by an innings.