India vs Australia: After three-and-half years of barrenness and scathing criticism, it finally came with a bang. A long wait of 1205 days to reach a three-figure runs ended as batting maestro Virat Kohli got the monkey off his back by scoring swashbuckling 28th Test century in the fourth Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, which is going on at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He bagged many accolades by scripting such a stupendous feat.
Surpassing Sunil Gavaskar
This is Kohli’s 50th Test on the soil of his country, which was celebrated with a scintillating century. With his ton in today’s match, Kohli– who was under a bit pressure in the beginning but grew confidence — got success to replicate the cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar’s grand achievement that was made 40 years ago. Gavaskar also made a century playing his 50th Test match at home in 1983. His ton is also recorded as the 8th Test century scored against Australia.
Joining elite list of Brian Lara
The Ahmedabad Test could also be seen as Kohli’s first 50-plus score since January 2022, when made 79 against South Africa in Cape Town. Regaling spectators and cricket aficionados, the right-handed batter also leapfrogged West Indies former captain and legend batsman Brian Lara joining the club of cricketing elite. Kohli has zoomed past Lara’s tally to become the second leading run scorer against the Australian team in the format of international cricket. He scored 4729 runs in 89 matches and 104 innings against Australia with 15 centuries and 24 fifties, while Lara on the other hand made 4714 runs in 82 matches and 108 innings with 12 centuries and 26 fifties against Aussies.
Hundred off 241 balls
In his 75th in international cricket, Kohli’s hundred came off 241 balls. His 291-ball innings perked up after he crossed the milestone. In the first session, Kohli could not make a single boundary. He also got huge support at the other end while adding 84 for the fifth wicket with Kona Bharat (44 off 88 balls) and another 63 with in-form Axar Patel. Resuming the day on 289/3, India lost their first wicket today when Todd Murphy (2/64) dismissed Ravindra Jadeja (28).
India reached 475 for five at tea as Kohli was unbeaten on 135 (291 balls; 10×4) alongside Axar Patel (38 not out; 75 balls, 3×4, 1×6). At the break, India trailed Australia by just eight runs.
A glance at his some best knocks in Test cricket:
2012: 116 runs in Adelaide
India locked horns with Australia in the final Test in the 2011-12 tour. Kohli made only 43 runs in the first two Tests, but he hit his first century in Adelaide in the 14th innings of his Test career.
2014: 169 runs in Melbourne
Kohli impressively scored 169 runs in Test against the deadly attack of Australia in 2013-14 tour. Making a solid 262-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahne, he helped India tie the match, where Dhoni announced his retirement from Test cricket.
2019: 254 runs in Pune
Making an outstanding contribution of 254, Virat Kohli
‘Virat’ Test records:
- Virat Kohli as Indian captain holds the record of winning the most Test matches,leading India to win 40 out of 68 matches
- 24 Test matches were won on the home soil under the captainship of Kohli.
- After Greg Chappell, Kohli is only the second cricketer who scored twin hundreds on Test captaincy debut.
- After Graeme Smith, Kohli is only the second-most skipper
who has set a record of 20 Test centuries.