Nagpur: Indian skipper Virat Kohli scored his fifth double century in Tests and has also broken the record for most centuries in a year by a captain during the second Test against Sri Lanka.

The 29-year-old has now joined Brian Lara, one of the greatest batsmen of all time, with the most number of double tons (5) as a Test captain.

Kohli’s century brings him his fourth against Sri Lanka and his tenth in internationals in this year.

The swashbuckling batsman now has the same number of Test 100s as former West Indies cricketer Clive Lloyd, Australia’s Mark Taylor and Michael Hussey, Barbadian cricketer Gordon Greenidgea and Len Hutton of England.

Kohli, the run machine, has also surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s record of most centuries as an Indian skipper.

He has also outclassed Australia’s Ricky Ponting (9 in 2005 and 2006) and South Africa’s Graeme Smith (9 in 2005) for the most centuries by a captain in a calendar year.

Rohit Sharma completed his century as India declared their first innings on 610 for six against Sri Lanka on day three of the second Test in Nagpur on Sunday.

The hosts got a first innings lead of 405 in response to Sri Lanka’s 205. Skipper Virat Kohli stood tall with his 213 in an innings that saw teammates clinch three more centuries.

Rohit (102 not out), opener Murali Vijay (128) and Cheteshwar Pujara (143) were among the top scorers.

Sri Lankan off-spinner Dilruwan Perera took three wickets.

The script remained unchanged on the third day of the second Test. India continued to dominate and lost just two wickets in the first two sessions to reach 507/4 at tea, for a lead of 302. After centuries by Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara a day earlier, Virat Kohli was leading the charge with an unbeaten 170. Rohit Sharma was batting on 51.

If India’s plan was to bury Sri Lanka under a huge first innings lead, the skipper made sure the team stayed on course, bringing up his 19th Test century in the process. Compared to the two who reached three figures before him, Kohli was scoring at a much faster clip. His hundred came off 130 deliveries and instead of slowing down, he accelerated after that. Sri Lanka tried to check the scoring, but there was little that their bowlers could do.

With the pitch still playing true and teammates making merry, Ajinkya Rahane missed out on a big one. He hit a long hop straight to point after making just two. Rohit was quick to pounce on the opportunity to get some runs under his belt. Returning to the Test XI after October last year, the Mumbai batsmen made most of favourable conditions to hit a classy half-century. The session between lunch and tea saw India score 103 runs in 30 overs.

India started cautiously against an attack that had neither bite nor variety and after a watchful first half an hour, the runs started to come. The Sri Lankans tried bowling to one side of the wicket with a packed field, but the man who likes to dominate attacks was still finding the gaps to loud cheers from a decent gathering of about 20,000. His unbeaten 170 came off 223 balls with 14 fours and a six.

While Kohli was closing in on a fifth double century, Pujara missed out on what would have been his fourth score over 200. Not one for things flashy, he was playing the waiting game, where tiring out the opposition is the trick instead of putting them to the sword. He spent 502 minutes at the crease and his third-wicket partnership with Kohli was worth 183 runs.

A little slow, the pitch was still good for batting, as the Sri Lankan bowlers found out. They tried spin from one end and pace from the other, without being able to make an impact. Medium pacer Lahiru Gamage leaving the field after suffering an injury while fielding compounded their woes.

Brief scores at Tea of Day 3:

Sri Lanka 205. India 507/4 (Kohli 170 not out, Pujara 143, Vijay 128, Rohit 51 not out)