Virat Kohli, the star batsman of Team India, showcased a phenomenal batting performance during the fourth Test of the series in Ahmedabad, scoring a brilliant 186 runs. Kohli fell just short of what would have been his eighth double century and seventh at home.
If he had scored a double century, he would have been the first Indian cricketer to register 200+ scores against all four ‘SENA’ nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia), as he has already achieved this feat against the first three nations.
Despite this, on Sunday, the 34-year-old batsman ended a three-year drought for a century in Test cricket. Kohli patiently waited at the crease and managed to hit only five fours during his innings of 243 deliveries, resulting in his 28th Test century.
Once he reached the much-awaited milestone, which was also his 75th international century, Kohli’s approach became notably more aggressive in scoring runs, as he scored the next fifty runs in just 70 balls.
During the third session on Day 4, the match demanded an increase in the pace of scoring. Kohli’s batting partner, Axar Patel, resorted to the aerial route on several occasions, and the 34-year-old batter followed suit, punishing poor deliveries more frequently. After Axar’s dismissal on 79, Kohli took charge of the run-scoring, but lost partners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Umesh Yadav, leaving him with a lack of support.
India desired Australia to play a few overs before the end of the day’s play, so the situation was not ideal for Kohli to take his time. As a result, he opted for big hits, and even received a reprieve when Peter Handscomb dropped a catch when he was on 185. Nevertheless, luck ran out for the Indian star, as he was caught in the next over by Marnus Labuschagne, ending an incredible knock by Todd Murphy in Ahmedabad.
