Virat Kohli Breaks Record with 30th Test Century, Surpassing Sir Don Bradman in Perth

Star India batter Virat Kohli reached a remarkable milestone during the 1st Test against Australia in Perth, scoring his 30th Test century. Kohli, who had been tied with Sir Donald Bradman on 29 centuries, surpassed the Australian cricket legend with this historic feat on Day 3 of the ongoing Test match. He reached triple figures in just 143 balls, helping India declare their second innings at 487/6. This left Australia with a daunting target of 534 runs to win.

Kohli’s achievement was particularly special as it marked his first Test century in over 16 months, breaking his dry spell. Prior to this, his last century came in November 2019. Kohli now joins a select group of players who have scored 30 or more centuries in Test cricket, and he becomes the fourth Indian player to do so. Only Sachin Tendulkar (49), Rahul Dravid (36), and Sunil Gavaskar (34) have more centuries than him in Indian cricket.

In his unbeaten innings, Kohli was supported by Jasprit Bumrah, who took over as the stand-in captain for India. Kohli remained at 100* when the declaration came. Alongside Kohli, Nitish Kumar Reddy was also unbeaten on 38 at the time of the declaration.

Earlier in the match, Yashasvi Jaiswal had given India a strong psychological advantage with his majestic 161 runs. The 22-year-old’s innings, which included 15 boundaries and 3 sixes, was a testament to his growing prowess in international cricket. Jaiswal, who grew up in the slums of Mumbai selling snacks, is now on his way to becoming a star in India’s cricketing future. His innings was cut short when he was dismissed after a brilliant catch by Steve Smith off Mitchell Marsh.

India’s innings was marked by a significant partnership between KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, which set a new record for India in Australia, surpassing the previous best opening stand of 198 runs between Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth in 1986.

On Day 3, India capitalized on Australia’s poor batting performance, having dismissed the Australians for just 104 runs in their first innings. With a 218-run advantage, India dominated the game.

As the Perth Test progresses, Virat Kohli’s 30th Test century has cemented his place in cricketing history, surpassing the great Sir Don Bradman in terms of centuries scored. This historic milestone adds to the growing list of Kohli’s achievements in international cricket.

Key Highlights:

• Virat Kohli scores his 30th Test century, surpassing Sir Don Bradman.
• Kohli’s century came off 143 balls, as India declared at 487/6.
• This is Kohli’s first Test century after a 16-month gap.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a stunning 161 in India’s second innings.
• India sets a target of 534 runs for Australia to win the match.

Related Records:

• Sachin Tendulkar: 49 Test centuries (All-time leader).
• Rahul Dravid: 36 Test centuries.
• Sunil Gavaskar: 34 Test centuries.

This milestone marks another step in Virat Kohli’s illustrious career, strengthening his place among cricket’s greatest batsmen.

(Source: AFP)