Virat Kohli marks landmark occasion at Eden Gardens with 70th international century
Virat Kohli shrugged off his rare duck in the first Test at Indore with another Test century as India dominated proceedings on day two of the Day-Night Test at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. After a fifer by Ishant and half-century for Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli's century comes as another milestone for India in their first-ever pink ball game at home and overall. After Ishant Sharma became the first-ever bowler to pick up a five-for in a Pink Test for India, Kohli became the first Indian to score a century in pink-ball cricket.
This was Kohli's 27th Test century overall and second century in whites against Bangladesh. His first was a double century (204) in Hyderabad in 2017. This was also Kohli's 70th century in international cricket.
With the century, he also overtook Ricky Ponting in the list of captains with most hundreds in the longest format. He now stands second behind Graeme Smith, who 25 tons to his name as South Africa captain.
Kohli, who resumed the day on 59 not out, was cautious in his approach, to begin with before playing his shots and dispatching the bad deliveries. Following the negotiation of the tricky hours on Friday night and early Saturday, Kohli played a typical innings to guide the team ahead against a Bangladesh side, which has looked short of confidence and fight.
The 31-year-old continued the good work on day two after breaking yet another record on the previous day when he became the fastest captain in Test cricket to reach 5000 runs.
Kohli needed 32 runs before the start of the series to reach the landmark but was out for a duck at the Holkar. On Friday, however, he managed to see off the pink ball after arriving at the crease and in the end go past, Ponting, who reached the milestone in 54 matches (97 innings). Kohli achieved the feat in his 53rd game and 86th innings as the India skipper.
Kohli is also the only Indian in the list of 5000 runs as captain in Tests.
With the century on Saturday, Kohli's last nine 50+ scores in Test cricket at home reads -- 235, 204, 104*, 213, 243, 50, 139, 254* and 100* (today).
