Virat Kohli Replicates Sunil Gavaskar's Impressive Feat With Long-Awaited Test Ton

Virat Kohli finally ended his century drought with a brilliant ton against Australia on Day 4 of the fourth Test match in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Kohli, whose last Test century came way back in 2019, looked completely at ease against the Aussie bowlers and ended up scoring a well-deserved ton in 241 deliveries. With this century, Kohli ended up replicating a similar feat that legendary India batsman Sunil Gavaskar achieved around 40 years ago. This was Kohli's 50^th Test match at home and he was able to score a century to celebrate the momentous occasion. Back in 1983, Gavaskar also scored a gritty hundred when he played his 50^th Test match at home against West Indies in Delhi.

Kohli scored 186 as India ended their first innings at 571 in the series-deciding fourth and final Test against Australia. Resuming the penultimate day on 289 for three, India rode on Kohli's first Test century in more than three years to get past the Australian total in the final session.

Kohli, who was overnight 59, ran out of partners and got out for 186 in 364 balls (15x4) to give India a 91-run first innings lead. Injured Shreyas Iyer did come out to bat. All-rounder Axar Patel played a counter-attacking 79 from 113 balls (5x4, 4x6) in a 162-run partnership with Kohli.

It was a special innings for the former India skipper who last scored a century in 2019 and his last fifty also came around 14 months back. However, there were jitters at all for Kohli during the fourth Test match as he dominated all Aussie bowlers and slammed a deserved ton in 241 balls.

The moment when he reached the milestones sparked wild celebrations at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. Appearing to tear up, he acknowledged the crowd and the dressing room before kissing the locket on his gold chain as he smiled and looked up to the sky. Even the Australian players acknowledged Kohli as they were seen clapping after Kohli reached triple figures.

The star batsman resumed on his overnight score of 59 after he got his first Test half-century since January 2022 on day three on a pitch favouring the batsmen. He stitched together solid partnerships with Shubman Gill, KS Bharat and Ravindra Jadeja to hand India a 91-run lead in the first innings.

(With PTI inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Virat Kohli Sunil Gavaskar India vs Australia, 2023 Cricket