Back to scoring hundreds, Virat Kohli is a name that can’t be kept away from new records for long. After a barren run of form, Kohli registered his 30th Test ton as India defeated Australia in the series opener in Perth. As the tourists gear up for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide next, Kohli has his eyes set on Sir Donald Bradman’s all-time record of scoring the most number of tons in a country as an away player in Test cricket.
Kohli would look to match Bradman and jointly claim the No. 1 spot when India take on Australia in Adelaide, starting December 06. Bradman has scored a total of 11 centuries in Test cricket, in England from 1930 to 1948. He only required 19 matches to touch the triple-digit on those 11 occasions.
Kohli currently has a total of 10 centuries to his name in the longest format of the game from 43 matches in Australia, where his first appearance came in 2011. Jack Hobbs (9 centuries in Australia), Sachin Tendulkar (9 centuries in Sri Lanka), Sir Vivian Richards (8 centuries in England) and Sunil Gavaskar (7 centuries in West Indies) are some of the names following Kohli in the list.
From the 43 Tests that Kohli has played on Australian soil, he has scored a total of 2710 runs at an average of 54.20 with the highest score being 169.
Kohli’s place in the team has also been a subject of debate, with many experts doubting his abilities at this stage of his career. After scoring a century in Perth, Kohli gave a fiery reply to all those critics.
“I take pride in performing for my country. The fact that she is here makes it even more special for me. Yeah, Anushka has been right by my side through thick and thin. So, she knows everything that goes on behind the scenes. What goes on the head when you don’t play as well or make a few mistakes. I just want to contribute to the team’s cause, I am not a guy who wants to hang around just for the sake of it,” Kohli had said.