Paul Stirling Scales Past Virat Kohli, Babar Azam in Unique Record with Galle Ton

Stirling in action on Day 2 against SL (Twitter)

Paul Stirling notched up his maiden Test ton on Day 2 of the ongoing series-deciding second Test against Sri Lanka at Galle. The cricketer, retired hurt at 74* on Day 1, resumed his innings within the first over of the second day and formed a 64-run stand with fellow centurion Curtis Campher.

Notably, both Stirling and Campher became only the third and fourth cricketers in Irish history to register Test hundreds. Moreover, Stirling even scaled a new height in Tests, one which puts him above batting heavyweights Virat Kohli and Babar Azam.

Senior Ireland batter leaps above Kohli

Paul Stirling made his international debut in 2008 with an ODI against New Zealand. The following year, he donned his country’s T20I jersey with a game against Pakistan, and has since become one of the leading run-getters of the format.

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So far, he has piled up 13 centuries in ODI cricket and one in T20Is. His recent effort against Sri Lanka marked his maiden triple-digit score in Tests, thus making him the batsman with most international centuries before registering their first Test hundred.

The record was previously held by Indian batting legend Virat Kohli and Pakistan captain Babar Azam. The two batters jointly scored eight centuries before notching up their maiden Test ton.

South African wicketkeeper and opener Quinton de Kock also had eight limited-overs to his name before notching up one in Tests. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq registered seven across ODIs and T20Is before making his name in the game’s longest format.

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