Jayant Yadav impresses with maiden Test ton

When Jayant Yadav, India's number 9, came to the crease, his side stood at 364 for 7. When he departed - after scoring his maiden ton - they had posted a sizeable 605 runs in the fourth Test against England on Sunday.

Yadav, with his 204-ball 104, became the first India number nine to score a Test hundred. India became the seventh team to have a centurion at No. 9 or lower and it was only the 20th hundred by a batsman at No. 9 or lower in Test history.

Yadav and Kohli added a massive 241-run stand for the eighth wicket, which is the highest eighth wicket partnership for India in Tests. Mohammad Azharuddin and Anil Kumble's 161 against South Africa 20 years ago was the previous best.

The Kohli-Yadav combine seemingly tamed the demons in the Wankhede surface, which assisted spin as the Test wore on. Kohli, on 147, looked solid at the start of the day and he continued to play fluently against an England side devoid of answers.

Yadav, who debuted for India in the opening match of the series, is known for his batting prowess in first class cricket, having scored 211, the highest score at No. 9, against Karnataka in the 2012 season. His innings on Sunday was laced with 12 boundaries. He ably supported Kohli who clobbered 25 fours and one six, in his mammoth 340-ball 235.

Kohli became the fifth batsmen in the history of Tests to score three or more double tons in Tests in a calendar year. He also became the third captain to score three doubles in a year, after Michael Clarke in 2012 and Brendon McCullum in 2014.

Yadav finally departed in the 177th over of the innings, shortly after reaching his landmark. His stand with Kohli helped India stretch their lead to 231. He had an important role to play with the ball as well and dismissed England's top scorer, Joe Root for 77. The tourists stood at 182 for 6 at stumps.

"Scope of improvement for everything. Whenever you're batting with Virat, things feel easier," Yadav said. "When they were bowling short, he told me to pull, my instinct is to leave the ball. If you can contribute with the bat, any skill, you should work on it. I pride my wicket. Was wicketless in the first innings, wanted to contribute more with the bat. He (R Ashwin) gives me situational advise, what can be done better."