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Senior Team India batter Virat Kohli’s long wait for a Test hundred finally ended on Sunday, March 12 when he notched up three figures on Day 4 of the Ahmedabad Test against Australia.
The 34-year-old batter, who was unbeaten on 59 overnight, reached his 28th Test hundred in the second session of play at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In the 139th over of India’s innings, Kohli clipped Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon through forward square leg for a single - ending a wait of 1205 days.
The former India captain’s last Test ton came back in November 2019, when he scored 136 off 194 balls in a Day-Night match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata against Bangladesh. The hosts went on to register a comprehensive victory by an innings and 46 runs in the Test.
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On Sunday, Kohli was more relieved than overjoyed after reaching three figures in red-ball cricket for India after a gap of over three years.
The right-handed batter kissed his necklace and acknowledged the applause of the enthusiastic crowd in a composed manner, also exchanging a warm hug with batting partner Axar Patel.
Controlled Kohli guides India on Day 4 of Ahmedabad Test
Responding to Australia’s first-innings total of 480, India resumed Day 3 on 289/3, still trailing the Aussies by 191 runs. Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja looked to consolidate the innings, but the latter was dismissed for 28, playing a poor stroke. The left-hander attempted to take on Australian off-spinner Todd Murphy, but failed to time the ball and chipped a catch to mid-on.
With Shreyas Iyer battling a back issue, under-pressure keeper-batter Srikar Bharat came into bat. The latter gave a good account of himself, featuring in a 84-run stand for the fifth wicket with Kohli. Bharat scored a defiant 44 off 88 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes.
The 29-year-old was looking good for his maiden Test half-century when he was dismissed by Lyon. He was caught at short leg as he pushed hard at a delivery from the Australian off-spinner and got an edge as the ball lobbed to Peter Handscomb.
India reached 419/5 after 145 overs in the first innings, with Kohli unbeaten on 110 and Axar on 14.
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