ACE India batter Virat Kohli shut critics on Sunday, November 24, by hitting a ton in the second innings of the first Test match against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth that put his side in a commanding position.
The cricketer, who turned 36 earlier this month, remained not out on 100 off 143 balls as the visitors declared their innings on 487 for 6, setting the hosts a daunting target of 534 with more than two days to go. Debutante Nitish Kumar Reddy was the other unbeaten batter who scored 38 in just 27 balls and added 77 runs with Kohli for the seventh wicket. Australia were then reduced to 12 for 3 with captain Jasprit Bumrah picking two wickets and the remaining one going to his opening bowling partner Mohammed Siraj.
Kohli’s century, which came after a gap of 16 months and amid sharp criticism after his recent failures with the bat at home conditions, was his 30th in the format and put him ahead of the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. It was also his 81st international hundred across formats, 19 less than compatriot Sachin Tendulkar’s record 100 hundreds.
Test Century No.30!
All hail, King Kohli
Live – https://t.co/gTqS3UPruo…… #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/VkPr1YKYoR
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 24, 2024
Tendulkar, who has 49 Test tons to his credit, however, found himself falling behind Kohli in terms of number of Test hundreds scored by Indians Down Under. The Perth century was Kohli’s seventh in Australia in the long format, one more than his predecessor. The record of scoring most Test hundred by a visiting batter belongs to England’s Jack Hobbes who has nine. It was also Kohli’s 12th hundred in Australia, the most by any batter.
In Australia, Kohli has now scored hundreds in Adelaide (three), Perth (two), Melbourne, and Sydney.
Among Indian batters with most Test hundreds, only Rahul Dravid (36) and Sunil Gavaskar (34) besides Tendulkar are ahead of Kohli now.
Kohli was not the only centurion for India during the day. Earlier, opener Yeshasvi Jaiswal slammed 161 as India piled up on the lead over Australia. He added 201 runs for the opening wicket with KL Rahul (77). The 22-year-old southpaw was playing only his 15th Test at Perth and it was his fourth Test ton. The duo resumed from the overnight score of 172 and added another 29 runs.
Kohli thanks wife Anushka
While returning to the dressing room after India declared their innings, Kohli thanked his actress wife Anushka Sharma. Speaking with interviewer Adam Gilchrist, a former Australia great, he said, “Anushka has been right by my side through thick and thin. She knows everything that goes on behind the scenes. Knows what goes on in the head when you’re not performing well. I’m not a guy who hangs around for the sake of it. I take pride in performing for the country.” He was seen giving flying kisses to his wife who was in the stands, applauding her husband’s feat.
India were all out for 150 in their first innings but fought back brilliantly to bowl out Australia for 104 to gain a crucial 46-run lead.
The visitors need to win the five-match series by at least 4-1 margin if they are to qualify for the World Test Championship final in England next June.
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