Finally, Virat Kohli didn't have to wait for his 81st as long as he did for his 71st as the former India captain got to his 30th hundred in Test cricket, his seventh in Australia in the format in Perth on Sunday, November 24. It was a long time coming and Kohli finally got to the three-figure mark in international cricket after 375 days. Coming into Australia, Kohli had questions all over him, his form, and his future in Test cricket but the man made sure to show that he has 81 centuries in international cricket, not a joke.
Kohli with his 30th Test century went past Sir Donald Bradman, being tied with the Australia great on 29 hundreds for over a year. This was also Kohli's seventh Test hundred in Australia in Tests and 10th overall Down Under as he broke the world record. Kohli now has the most centuries for a visiting batter in Australia against Australia in international cricket as he went past England's Jack Hobbs to script history.
Most centuries for a visiting batter vs Australia in Australia (across formats)
10 - Virat Kohli* (India)
9 - Jack Hobbs (England)
7 - Wally Hammond (England)
7 - Vivian Richards (West Indies)
7 - Sachin Tendulkar (India)
As soon as Kohli got to his century, captain Jasprit Bumrah called his lads as India declared on 487/6 with the former captain unbeaten on exactly 100 and Nitish Reddy batting on 38 off 27. India set a massive target of 534 for Australia to chase and Bumrah proved his decision to declare right in the very first over itself with the wicket of debutant Nathan McSweeney.
Earlier Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul with a 201-run partnership laid the foundation of a humongous second-innings lead for India. Jaiswal smashed his maiden Test century in Australia while Rahul scored a gritty 77 before the likes of Washington Sundar and Reddy contributed and Kohli got the monkey off his back.
