Virat Kohli’s 100th Test Match: Revisiting Five Most Memorable Test Knocks by the Indian Star Batter

The hype for India's first Test against Sri Lanka is surely on and why not! Virat Kohli, one of the modern-day greats of the game is set to play his 100th Test match and it is indeed a special achievement. Under his captaincy, Indian cricket, especially in Tests, soared to new heights and while he would not be leading the team this time, the star player would have a lot counting on his shoulders as he aims to make the most with his bat on this momentous occasion.  IND vs SL 2022: Virat Kohli Could Join An Elite List Of Indians During His 100th Test

From fighting to keep a place in India's Test squad to cementing his legacy as one of the country's best batsmen in whites, Kohli surely has come a long way. And ahead of this 100th Test match, let us revisit some of his most memorable performances in the whites.

1) Debut Test hundred vs Australia: It was in 2012 when Kohli showed the world why he was a player for the future in Tests. After some low scores, he finally notched up his maiden Test hundred (116), against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. The right-hander played shots all-round the park and hit some of those classy cover drives and flicks, which fans now often associate him with. After being beaten a number of times while in the nineties, Kohli finally played one through cover to get to his maiden Test hundred as he celebrated with a loud roar, something that fans would get to see more often in the years to come. India vs Sri Lanka 2022: BCCI Allow 50% Crowd Capacity for Virat Kohli’s 100th Test in Mohali

2) Twin hundreds against Australia: Guess what, it was Australia again and Virat Kohli surely knows how to make things memorable when playing against the Kangaroos. The first Test between India and Australia in the 2014/15 tour saw Kohli do something special. While leading the side, Kohli slammed back-to-back hundreds in the match. A 115-run knock in the first innings was followed by an innings of 144 runs in the second. Although India eventually lost the game, he surely made his presence felt once again.

3) Double hundred against England: Kohli turned up the heat this time with a fascinating double hundred, against England at home. When Alastair Cook's men toured India in 2016, they were in for a Virat Kohli special. Already having won the series, Kohli continued India's dominance with a spectacular 235 in India's first innings. The right-hander was in full flow that game, hitting 25 fours and one six as he helped India post a mammoth 631 in response to England's 400. India eventually won the game by an innings and 48 runs. So far, he has seven double hundreds--the most by an Indian batter in Tests.

4) Johannesburg 50: Well, this might not be a century but for sure, it was no less than one. India had already lost the three-match series 2-0 by then but Kohli was in no mood to end empty-handed. Batting first on a very tricky wicket in Johannesburg, the Indian captain battled his way out with a gritty 54-run knock. The match was eventually won by India and this Test win, many might recall, led to the start of Indian cricket's stellar performances in the whites, away from home.

5) Pink-ball Test hundred: Kohli does know to make historic occasions memorable and this time, it was during India's first-ever pink-ball Test match in 2019. Bangladesh had toured India and this match, (second of the series) was in Kolkata. In front of a packed crowd at the Eden Gardens, Kohli scored a stylish 136 and became the first Indian to score a hundred in a pink-ball Test.

That hundred in Kolkata is memorable because so far, it was the last time Kohli reached the three-figure mark in international cricket. And fans would surely be hopeful of the Indian star batter to once again raise his bat to celebrate a hundred when India face Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series, starting March 4.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 02, 2022 06:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).