Virat Kohli Unlocks Twin Milestones During Fighting Knock On Day 4 Of WTC Final
Virat Kohli in action [Source: AP]
Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli etched his name into the record books as he joined a prestigious list of Indian legends by amassing 2,000 runs against Australia in Test cricket. The pivotal moment occurred during the second innings of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval in London on Saturday.
Virat Kohli achieves dual milestones against Australia
Leading into the marquee encounter, Kohli found himself merely 21 runs shy of the envious milestone. However, fortune eluded him in the first innings, as he was dismissed for a modest 14. Nonetheless, Kohli finally etched his name in the history books after scoring his seventh run in the second innings, regaling fans with his noteworthy achievement.
This accomplishment places Kohli in the company of illustrious Indian stalwarts who have previously surmounted this extraordinary feat. The list includes Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a staggering 3,630 runs against Australia. Following closely are VVS Laxman (2,434), Rahul Dravid (2,143), and Cheteshwar Pujara (2,033).
However, Kohli's exploits were not confined solely to his battle against Australia in Tests. In another momentous milestone, he joined Tendulkar as the only second batter to have accumulated a monumental 5,000 runs across all formats against Australia.
The 35-year-old achieved this extraordinary feat on the first ball of the 40th over on the fourth day of the WTC final. He dispatched the delivery bowled by Nathan Lyon to the boundary, thereby etching his name in the cricketing folklore.
Tendulkar reigns supreme atop the run-scoring charts against Australia, with an astounding 6,707 runs amassed in 144 innings at a stunning average of 49.68. Besides Tendulkar and Kohli, three former West Indies captains also feature in this list. Brian Lara has scored 4,714 runs in 108 innings against the mighty Aussies, followed by Desmond Haynes (4,495 runs in 123 innings) and Vivian Richards ( 4,453 runs in 104 innings).
Meanwhile, as the penultimate day of the WTC 2023 final drew to a close, India stood at a respectable 164/3, chasing a massive target of 444 runs for victory. With seven wickets in hand, the stage is set for Kohli, alongside Ajinkya Rahane, to display their mettle and inscribe their names in cricketing history.
The duo must summon every ounce of their skill, resilience, and determination to produce an extraordinary comeback and seize the coveted WTC trophy.
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