The former Indian captain across formats, Virat Kohli, has joined the ‘God of Cricket’ Sachin Tendulkar in this iconic feat during the third Test of the five-match series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. India has been looking to make its return to the series after their 10-wicket defeat in the day-night affair at the Adelaide Oval.
Virat Kohli didn’t have a great time in the three-match home series against New Zealand, where he collected 93 runs at an average of 15.50 with the help of just one solitary half-century. Questions were asked, and voices were raised over the currency of the veteran Delhi-born, who was under a little pressure going into the BGT 2024-25.
In the first innings of the opening Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, he struggled against the short ball of Josh Hazlewood and got an outside edge into the hands of the wicket-keeper. The situation of the second innings was quite different, as India was already enjoying a very healthy lead.
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Virat Kohli made his presence felt from the very first ball. The right-handed batter looked to be in a positive matter from the start and kept on bashing the powerful shots for a long time as he celebrated his 30th Test century.
Virat Kohli joins Sachin Tendulkar with the second-most Tests in Australia
But the 36-year-old struggled badly under the floodlights in the second day-night Test. In the first innings, he was not sure whether to play the short ball and got an outside edge into the hands of the second slip fielder on seven against the bowling of Mitchell Starc. On the other hand, he was on 11 when he leaned forward to get an outside edge of the blade against Scott Boland.
The entire attention is now on the batter and how he would turn it on at the Gabba, where he will be playing a Test match after nearly a decade. Even before coming to bat, Virat Kohli has already created a special feat to join Sachin Tendulkar in the longest format.
The former captain of the national side is currently playing his 100th international game against Australia across the three formats. He becomes only the second player to do so after Tendulkar, who has been part of 110 international games in the past against this respective opponent.
Most international matches against Australia
Sachin Tendulkar (India)- 110
Virat Kohli (India)- 100
Desmond Haynes (West Indies)- 97
MS Dhoni (India)- 91
Sir Viv Richards (West Indies)- 88
The top-order batter has overall smashed 9163 Test runs in 205 innings at an average of under 48 and a strike rate of around 55, with the help of 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries. Out of these, 2165 runs in the longest format have come against Australia in 28 Tests at an average of just over 47, with the help of nine centuries and five half-centuries at the best score of 186.
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Virat Kohli has powered 1475 runs in Tests in 29 innings at an average of 52.67 and a strike rate of just over 54, shouldering on seven centuries and four half-centuries at the best score of 169. If he scores a century at the Gabba in the third Test, the veteran will become only the second Indian and third overall away batter, including the former England opener, Sir Alastair Cook, to enjoy the feat.
This also could be his last trip to Australia, and Virat Kohli will hope to end the visit with memories of scoring runs and winning another red-ball series down under.
