Indian opener Rohit Sharma hit his seventh Test century on Day 1 against England at the Chepauk stadium.
Rohit Sharma played with authority on a pitch that is offering sharp turn and variable bounce, bringing out the sweep shot to unsettle the spinners Moeen Ali and Jack Leach.
Earlier, Moeen Ali bowled Kohli through the gate as the Indian captain stood shocked on the pitch for a few moments before walking off amid stunned silence from fans allowed into the ground for the first time since the pandemic.
Olly Stone had Shubman Gill leg before for a duck in only the second over, but Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara steadied the ship with an 85-run second-wicket stand.
But then, Jack Leach took Pujara for 21 and Ali's prized scalp of Kohli made India slip to 86-3.
The Indian players were greeted by whistles and chants of "Rohit, Rohit" as stadiums welcomed back a limited number of fans for the match.
England made four changes from their opening win with Stuart Broad, Ben Foakes, Ali and Stone making it to the XI.
India handed left-arm spinner, Axar Patel, his Test debut and brought in paceman Mohammed Siraj and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the team.
England won the first Test against India by 227 runs and is leading the four-match series 1-0.