India can win if we can bat for 3-4 sessions: Virat Kohli

Centurion Virat Kohli feels India has a good prospect of chasing the target and push for a 2-0 series win if the hosts manage to bat for another three to four sessions.

New Zealand were 232-9 in their second innings at stumps, enjoying an overall lead of 244 on Day Three of the second Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here yesterday.

Virat Kohli celebrates his century at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. Pics/AFP

"We have to play normal cricket. We are not worried about the target. There's still two days to go. I think if we bat for three to four sessions, we will be in a really good position to win the match," said Kohli, who struck 103 in the first innings, his maiden ton in India.

Kohli said he was pleased with his form and it was special to reach the three-figure mark at the start of the day. "It's always satisfying to get a hundred. People have asked me this earlier as well - which 100 is most special to you? And I've always said the 100 in Adelaide against Australia. I didn't have that feeling ever in my life, before or after - and I felt it today again."

R Ashwin ended the day as the most successful Indian bowler with 5-69

Kohli said batting at No 5 was a bit tricky for him. "I am used to batting at No 3 in ODIs where I keep myself charged up from the beginning, but going at No 5 is a tricky situation for me. Hopefully I'll get used to it."

On his leg-before dismissal to New Zealand paceman Tim Southee, the in-form batsman said, "All the balls I played before (being dismissed), I was looking at the bowler's hand, but I didn't look at his hand when Southee bowled with a crossed seam. This is a big lesson."

Southee grabbed his maiden seven-wicket haul as India were bowled out for 353 in their first innings in reply to the visitors' 365. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin ended the day as the most successful Indian bowler with 5-69 - his fifth fifer in Test cricket.u00a0