On Saturday Virat Kohli led India’s fightback from 8/2 to 172/2 with a dogged 82 off 181 balls. On Sunday morning, he completed the 25th century of his Test career- one many are hailing as one of the his best.
Kohli combined with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (51 not out) on Saturday to keep India in the game. However, he lost his partner early on Sunday. That didn't affect him much as he soon reached his century with a good-looking shot. It is Kohli's sixth Test century in Australia.
After a little underwhelming performance in the first Test, the world’s top-ranked Test batsman Kohli has played a gem of an innings so far mixing positivity with caution.
He walked out to bat with India at 8/2 and hit four boundaries in the first nine balls he faced and forced swing bowler Josh Hazlewood (who has just cleaned KL Rahul) out of the attack.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has said on Saturday that if Kohli could score a century on the green top pitch in Perth “it will be the best hundred of their career”.
In a column for Fox Sports, Fox Cricket commentator Mark Waugh agreed with Clarke’s assessment.
“If Virat Kohli ticks off the final 18 runs he needs to make his 25th Test century it will register among the best of his career,” he wrote.
“Given the caliber of Australia’s attack and how foreign these conditions are for the Indians, if Kohli does turn this into a hundred it will be one of the best of his career given the factors at play,” he wrote.
On Sunday, Kohli did just that.