India’s batting maestro, Virat Kohli, cruised to a magnificent century in the first Test of a five-match series against Australia at Optus Stadium, Perth. It ended a prolonged lean phase in Test cricket for Clarke, putting him ahead of Sachin Tendulkar in the list of Test centuries by a visiting batter in Australia.
Kohli’s second innings performance showed vintage brilliance since his Test average dipped to a modest 32 in 2020. Holding his hand up to his critics, recovering from a disappointing first innings dismissal for just five runs, he anchored India’s innings in what proved to be a challenging Perth of Australian conditions.
Kohli signalled early intent at No. 4, batting with a trademark cover drive off Pat Cummins. One awe-inspiring thing about his footwork against Nathan Lyon is his ability to adapt against spin, one way he has been turning his game around in recent months.
Kohli’s 81st century in international cricket and seventh in Australia came in the 135th over of India’s innings. Each time he resolutely walked back out to the middle, he did so with ten boundaries and two sixes, the hallmarks of his innate grit and desire to realise his hunger to succeed on the big stage.
Kohli also shattered records during his innings. He surpassed Tendulkar’s six Test tons in Australia, matching England’s Jack Hobbs record for the most centuries by a visiting batter Down Under. Kohli scored 10 centuries as a touring player in Australia, a new benchmark across formats.
Kohli spoke to Adam Gilchrist after the match about his sheer commitment to the team. He said he took pride in performing for the country and loved delivering under pressure.
India’s stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, declared the innings soon after Kohli’s century, leaving Australia 534 runs behind to chase in the first Test. That was India’s answer to knocking out the top two ranked teams in an ODI series, a strategic decision which echoed their dominance and Kohli’s pivotal part in making the team click. Virat Kohli’s Century Silences Critics in Perth
India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli put in a masterclass as he hit a stunning century in the first Test of a five-match series against Australia at Optus Stadium, Perth. Meanwhile, this inning ended his time in Test cricket’s lean phase and put the visiting batter ahead of Sachin Tendulkar as far as the tally of Test centuries scored by a visiting batter in Australia is concerned.
Kohli’s second innings performance belied his modest Test average of 32 since 2020. He fought back from a miserable first-innings dismissal for five runs to anchor India’s afternoon in the Perth conditions, silencing his critics.
Kohli stamped his class early, batting at No. 4 with a trademark cover drive off Pat Cummins, signalling his intent. His precise footwork against Nathan Lyon was impressive and a turnaround from his recent problems.
Kohli’s 81st century in international cricket and seventh in Tests in Australia—in the 135th over of India’s innings—was a milestone century. That knock was resolute as he punctuated his work with ten boundaries and two sixes, representing his blood, sweat, and tears of desire to succeed in such an environment.
Kohli’s innings also established records. He passed Tendulkar’s six Test tons in Australia to match England’s Jack Hobbs for the most centuries in Australia by a visiting batter. Kohli — who hit his seventh Test ton in Australia — now has 10 centuries as a touring player in Australia, setting a new benchmark across formats.
Kohli told Adam Gilchrist afterwards that he was 100 per cent committed to the team. ‘I’ve always enjoyed performing for the country,’ he said, discussing how he likes to get under pressure.
Kohli’s century came on the back of a 189-run partnership with openers Shikhar Dhawan (95) and KL Rahul (57), but India’s stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, declared the innings soon after that for 534 runs in reply. It was a strategic decision that fully marked India’s dominance, and Kohli must be a key player in the team’s success.
