Virat Kohli will be eyeing the WTC Final 2023 as a legacy-defining Test match for one of the greatest-ever batsmen. The 34-year-old has amassed 8416 runs in 108 Tests at an average of 48, comprising 28 Test centuries to his name.
Under Virat Kohli’s captaincy, India lost the WTC Final 2021 to New Zealand. Now, the former skipper and the team would look to avenge that loss and end India’s decade-long ICC title drought.
‘KING’ Kohli will hog the limelight once again as India take on Australia at The Oval from June 7 for the WTC Final 2023.
At the Oval, though, Virat Kohli has an ordinary record: average of 28 in 3 Tests at The Oval with a solitary fifty in 6 innings. In England, too, his record isn’t great: a mediocre 33 with 2 hundreds and 5 fifties in 31 innings.
Nonetheless, Virat Kohli has been in sensational form this year, and is coming off a prolific IPL 2023 season.
Here are 3 records that Virat Kohli could break in the WTC Final 2023:
Ricky Ponting’s record of centuries in India-Australia matches
Virat Kohli has recorded 8 Test centuries against Australia. Only Sachin Tendulkar has more Test hundreds in India-Australia Test encounters – 11. Not just Kohli, but Steve Smith also has 8 Test hundreds in India-Australia contests. They remain second, tied with Ricky Ponting.
Most hundreds in India vs Australia Test matches:
Sachin Tendulkar – 11 centuries (3630 runs)
Ricky Ponting – 8 centuries (2555 runs)
Virat Kohli – 8 centuries (1979 runs)
Steve Smith – 8 centuries (1887 runs)
Sunil Gavaskar – 8 centuries (1550 runs)
Sir Viv Richards’ Test runs
Kohli is currently sitting with 8416 runs in his Test career. If he scores another 125 runs in the WTC Final, Kohli will go past West Indies legend Sir Viv Richards’ tally of 8540 Test runs, which came at an average of 50.
Further, if Kohli produces a big hundred, or two good knocks in the WTC Final, and scores over 171 runs, he will surpass Virender Sehwag’s total of 8586 runs.
Rahul Dravid’s Test runs against Australia
India head coach Rahul Dravid wouldn’t mind – in fact, he’d be happy – if Virat Kohli goes past his tally of 2143 Test runs against Australia in the WTC Final. Dravid scored these runs in 32 Tests at an average of 39 with 2 centuries and 13 fifties.
Virat Kohli has had a liking to score big against Australian bowlers: he has 1979 runs against Australia in 24 Tests at an average of 48 with 8 centuries and 5 fifties.
The list is topped by none other than Sachin Tendulkar, who aggregated 3630 runs against the Aussies in 39 Tests at a terrific average of 55, slamming 11 hundreds.
