Virat Kohli needs one century to become only 3rd man in 147 years to achieve THIS feat…

Former India captain Virat Kohli might be struggling for form but he is very close to breaking a massive record as India get ready to face hosts Australia in the third Test of the five-match series for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) beginning at Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday. Kohli has scored Test centuries at all major Australia venues – Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney.

The only ton eluding the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is at the Gabba in Brisbane and he can become just the third overseas batter in the history of the game in 147 years to achieve this feat with a century in the third Test. Only two batters have centuries in all five major Australian venues in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane – England’s Alastair Cook for former India opener Sunil Gavaskar.

Kohli scored his 30th Test ton and 81st international century in India’s 295-run win in the first Test in Perth last month. However, he managed scores of only 7 and 11 in the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide Oval which India lost by 10 wickets.

 

Virat Kohli’s fiery pep talk to Team India during today’s practice session at Gabba.

– KING KOHLI, A LEADER…!!!! pic.twitter.com/kh4AdYZtOe

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) December 12, 2024

Virat Kohli aims to equal Sunil Gavaskar’s record

Gavaskar scored five centuries in Australia, with one each coming at a different venue. He made a ton in Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne in 1977 while he crossed the century mark in Adelaide and Sydney in 1985.

The same was the case with former England captain and opener Cook, who got a century in Perth in 2006 while he celebrated a ton in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Sydney in 2010-11 and completed the set in Melbourne in 2017.

Meanwhile, only two visiting players (Jack Hobbs and Walter Hammond) have more Test tons than Kohli (7) among visiting players Down Under. The Indian batting star has three centuries in Adelaide (2012, 2014, 2014), two in Perth (2018, 2024), and one each in Melbourne (2014) and Sydney (2015). Kohli has played just one Test in Brisbane, in which he made 19 and 1. It was the only clash of the 2014-15 BGT in which he did not make a century.

Both Cook and Gavaskar scored a century at the iconic WACA Stadium in Perth, while both of Kohli’s tons in the city came at the newly-built Optus Stadium. Across all formats, Kohli has 12 centuries in Australia and is the only non-Australian to score more than 10 in the country.

Meanwhile, Kohli looks pumped up for the Gabba challenge on Saturday. Ahead of Team India’s practice session on Thursday in Brisbane, Kohli was seen addressing the players trying to pump up the side after their disappointing loss in Adelaide.