Virat Kohli has once again proved his mettle with an outstanding century against the mighty Aussies. It was a moment of sheer joy for Kohli as he smashed his 28th Test century, ending a long-awaited milestone of forty-one innings.
In the iconic Eden Gardens, Kohli played an impeccable knock of 136 runs, propelling India to an innings and 46-run victory. The sheer delight on Kohli’s face was a sight to behold as he removed his helmet, kissed his necklace, and acknowledged the thunderous applause from the Ahmedabad crowd.
The long wait has finally ended for Virat Kohli 🔥#WTC23 | #INDvAUS | 📝 https://t.co/VJoLfVSeIF pic.twitter.com/JGZcVsHvHj
— ICC (@ICC) March 12, 2023
The entire cricketing world heaved a collective sigh of relief as the monkey finally jumped off Kohli’s back. As Ravi Shastri exclaimed on commentary, “600kg Gorilla off his back,” Kohli raised his bat, acknowledging his hard work and his fans’ faith in him.
With eight Test centuries, he has joined the league of the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. The only person ahead of him on this list is none other than the ‘God of Cricket,’ Sachin Tendulkar, who has a staggering 11 Test hundreds against the Aussies.
Kohli’s 28th Test ton also marked his 75th international hundred, a feat achieved by very few cricketers in the history of the game.
Kohli’s Performance in the Match
While Kohli made several achievements in the match, his general performance in the game was a sight to behold. Starting the day on 59, Kohli showed remarkable patience and resilience as he battled it out in the middle against a determined Australian bowling attack. He hit 15 boundaries in his innings, and it took him 364 balls to score his mammoth 186.
Kohli’s innings propelled India to a first-innings total of 571, giving them a 91-run lead over the Aussies. And with Australia finishing the fourth day’s play at three for no loss, they are still behind by 88 runs with six wickets in hand.
But it wasn’t just Kohli who played a vital role in India’s impressive batting display. Shubman Gill scored a brilliant 128, and Axar Patel played aggressive innings of 79, including five boundaries and four sixes.
Kohli’s partnership with Axar Patel was a treat to watch. The duo put on a century stand, and Kohli soon crossed the 150-run mark. However, after Axar’s wicket, India suffered a mini-collapse, but Kohli’s contribution had already done the damage.
By the end of day four, Australia was left reeling, trailing by eighty-eight runs. Kohli’s sublime innings had put India in a dominant position, and the pressure was now on the Aussies to pull off a miracle.
It was a day filled with excitement and anticipation, and the fans couldn’t have asked for more.
Kohli’s Status Before the Match
Kohli’s achievement is impressive given that he had not reached a Test hundred since November 2019, and had gone 23 Tests and 41 innings without a Test hundred. This recent drought had dimmed the halo around Kohli’s reputation as a great batter, despite his success in scoring 44s and 72s in various innings.
It is important to recognize that Kohli’s career has coincided with one of Test cricket’s most bowler-dominated eras and that the sport has significantly changed since the days of Sunil Gavaskar and Dilip Vengsarkar.
