Virat Kohli ends home drought with classy ton; celebrates in cryptic way in Indore

New Delhi: Virat Kohli put a stop in his barren run with the bat in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand with a classy hundred on the first day of third match at Indore on Saturday.

The skipper took 184 balls to reach his 13th Test hundred with a quick single off the bowling of Matt Henry in the 19th over as India recovered from a jittery start.

He just about survived the run with a direct show from the covers hitting the stumps at the non striker's end. And he celebrated the ton with a cryptic celebration, imitating a bowling action directed towards team dressing room.

The first century of the @Paytm Test Cricket #INDvNZ series goes to #TeamIndia skipper @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/uLwNEAjVv8 — BCCI (@BCCI) October 8, 2016

Kohli won yet another toss, and opted to bat first at the Holkar Stadium which is hosting it's first Test match. The stadium thus became India's 22nd Test venue. (ALSO READ: Gautam Gambhir impressed in his comeback cameo)

Interestingly this is the first century scored by any batsman in the series. The previous highest score was 87 runs by Cheteshwar ​Pujara in the second Test at Eden Gardens.

After a brilliant overseas series in West Indies wherein he scored a double hundred, the 27-year-old failed to maintain his form, with 45 being at Kolkata being his highest prior to today's hundred.

Kohli came into bat with India precariously placed at 60 for 2 at the 20th over. He first stitched a 40-run stand for the third wicket with Pujara (41), before combining with Ajinkya Rahane for an unbeaten 150+ stand as hosts took control in the final session of the play. (ALSO READ: Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanks India captain Virat Kohli for his 'powerful gesture')

Earlier, Rahane completed moved past 2000 runs in Test.

India end the first's day play with 267 for 3 after 90 overs play, and Kohli was unbeaten on 103 off 191 balls with the help of 10 fours. Rahane was batting at 79 off 172b with nine fours and a six. The duo have added 167 runs in exactly 54 overs.

Indore is known for it's Holkar dynasty and also for producing cricket legends like C. K. Nayudu, Mushtaq Ali and Rahul Dravid, and hosts of other iconic personalities from various fields like Dr. B.r Ambedkar architect Hafeez Contractor, singer Lata Mangeshkar, actors Salman Khan and Johnny Walker.

The venue itself is one of the favourite hunting grounds for Indian batsmen in One-Day Internationals. Virender Sehwag scored his 219 runs against West Indies here in 2011, and Yuvraj Singh scored 118 against England in 2008.

India have already won the series with wins at Kanpur and Kolkata, and also climbed the top spot in the ICC Test rankings.