New Delhi: After overtaking Sachin Tendulkar to become the Indian batter with most tons in Australia, Virat Kohli is close to matching and possibly surpassing Donald Bradman’s 76-year-old record for most international centuries in a visiting country.
Considered one of the greatest batters in cricket’s long history, former Australia skipper Bradman is synonymous with 99.94 Test batting average. Among his many records, Bradman also holds the mark of scoring the highest number of centuries in a touring country.
The right handed Bradman hit 11 hundreds in 19 Test matches in England from 1930 to 1948, a record that has stood for 76 years.
Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli is the closest to the mark with 10 tons (seven in Tests and three in ODIs) from 43 games on Australian soil.
The former India skipper would have a chance to touch or even go past Bradman at his home ground of Adelaide when the second Test begins on December 6.
Kohli goes past Sachin & Co at Perth
Kohli scored his 81st international century and 30th Test ton in India’s 295-run victory over Australia in the first Test at Perth. Kohli’s ton helped India win the opening Test by a whopping 295-runs, which was their biggest margin of win by runs in Australia.
In the process, Kohli overtook Sachin Tendulkar (9 centuries in Sri Lanka), Jack Hobbs (9 tons in Australia), Vivian Richards (8 hundreds in England) and Sunil Gavaskar (7 three-figure scores in West Indies), who are all regarded as among the best batters in red-ball cricket.
In the 19 matches in England, Bradman had scored 2674 runs, including 11 tons, at an average of 102.84 with a highest score of 334.
Kohli has amassed 2710 runs in 43 matches in Australia, at an average of 54.20 with a top score of 169 that he scored in 2014 at Melbourne.
The 36-year-old was under pressure before the Australia series after a string of low scores at home and was dismissed for five runs in the first innings at Perth.
He struck an unbeaten 100 off 143 balls, including eight fours and two sixes in the second innings as India build a huge lead and then bowled out the Aussies cheaply.
Virat Kohli is on the verge of matching Donald Bradman’s 76-year-old record for most international centuries in a visiting country. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
