Virat Kohli added a new milestone in his ever-growing records book by becoming the first cricketer to hit a century in his 500th international match as he scored 121 runs against the West Indies in the ongoing second Test in Port of Spain.
There were more runs for the taking for Kohli, but unfortunately, he got run out on 121 runs from 206 balls, his brilliant innings including 11 fours.
This was Virat Kohli’s 29th Test century, equalling Don Bradman’s tally, and 76th century overall in international cricket, behind only Sachin Tendulkar‘s record of 100 hundred. This was also Kohli’s first overseas century after a gap of more than 4 years.
Batting on 97*, Virat Kohli got a gift from pacer Shannon Gabriel to bring up a century in his 500th match: a half-volley outside off-stump that was in Kohli’s radar for the India superstar to pounce on it and hit it through backward point with his trademark front foot drive shot to bring up the milestone.
As soon as the ball touched the boundary line, the Indian dressing room was up on their feet, applauding his thoroughly controlled knock, while fans on social media went berserk.
Fans went wild on social media to hail the KING and the GOAT Virat Kohli:
Shah Rukh Khan explaining what happens to us whenever Kohli hits a century pic.twitter.com/0KZVmW1SZ9
— 🍺 (@anubhav__tweets) July 21, 2023
76TH INTERNATIONAL CENTURY BY KING KOHLI…!!
The King has delivered in his 500th match – 29th in Test, 15th away from home. He's the GOAT without a doubt! pic.twitter.com/HgUFxkQ9MB
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 21, 2023
Virat Kohli scores an overseas Test century after 55 months.
– King Kohli is well and truly back..!!! pic.twitter.com/qCljzfmxB6
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 21, 2023
PVR and IMAX paused Oppenheimer's screening when Kohli was on 97
— Prithvi (@Prithvi10_) July 21, 2023
Kohli 100 and failure for sandpaper cheat Smith. What a day it has been!!😭😭😭❤️❤️pic.twitter.com/7urAndDw72
— ` (@epicvirat) July 21, 2023
– Most runs for India in WTC.
– Most runs for India in Tests in 2023.
– Fastest to complete 76 hundreds.
– First player to score hundred on 500th match.
– First player to score fifty on 500th match.The GOAT – King Kohli. pic.twitter.com/zkVoVsJfYz
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 21, 2023
Fab 4 Test centuries:
1. Steven Smith – 32.
2. Joe Root – 30.
3. Virat Kohli – 29*.
3. Kane Williamson – 28.– King is back…!! pic.twitter.com/ebZHXHGj8M
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 21, 2023
50th IND-WI Test (1983)
Sunil Gavaskar scored 29th Test hundred.
Out at the score of 121.100th IND-WI Test (2023)
Virat Kohli scored 29th Test hundred.
Out at the score of 121.— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) July 21, 2023
An away Test hundred for Kohli after Perth 2018. A hundred whose foundation was built on patience and attritional cricket. Not something that you usually associate with him, but it's still been a good hundred. Hopefully he can carry on and convert it into a double.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) July 21, 2023
76th International century by king kohli 🔥 #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/rJIqprQczb
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) July 21, 2023
virat kohli kissing his ring after scoring a hundred is my favorite genre frrr pic.twitter.com/CG2uIQ6vvn
— s (@_sectumsempra18) July 21, 2023
https://twitter.com/hamxashahbax21/status/1682399488181432320?s=20
Virat Kohli in last 4 test matches
1 daddy hundred
1 overseas centuries
1 half centuries
a pressure absorbing 49Finally some consistency in this format 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/QpuZrPoeQI
— ` (@awkshat) July 21, 2023
Speaking about his knock, this wasn’t one of the most dominating Virat Kohli centuries, but it was as convincing as any. It had looked as inevitable as any when he got going after taking 21 balls to get off the mark on Day 1.
Though the West Indies bowlers were not as challenging or imposing as Virat Kohli has faced against most other oppositions in the world, the pitch wasn’t the flattest or easiest to bat as it was a bit ragged in a few areas and offered some turn for spinners.
Kohli was patient, and immaculate in his judgment of lines and lengths and his shots: his century came at a whopping 95 percent controlled shots. Even though the bowling was of below-standard quality, the batting by Virat Kohli was of the highest quality.
