Star India batter Virat Kohli slammed his 30th Test century on Day 3 of the 1st Test against Australia in Perth. Kohli reached triple figures in 143 balls as India declared their second innings on 487/6, setting Australia a target of 534 runs to win. Kohli, who scored his first Test century after a gap of 16 months, surpassed Australia great Sir Donald Bradman in the list of players with most tons in the longest format. Kohli was tied with Bradman on 29 centuries prior to the Perth Test.
Sachin Tendulkar leads the all-time list, having retired in 2013 with 49 Test centuries to his name. Meanwhile, Kohli is the 4th Indian to hit 30 or more centuries.
Only Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid (36) and Sunil Gavaskar (34) scored more centuries than Kohli for India.
Meanwhile, Kohli was unbeaten on 100 when stand-in India captain Jasprit Bumrah declared the innings. Nitish Kumar Reddy was also unbeaten on 38 when the declaration came.
Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed a majestic 161 to give India a psychological advantage in the five-Test series.
Jaiswal, who grew up homeless in the slums of Mumbai selling snacks on the streets to survive, was the hero, hitting 15 fours and three sixes in a mature 297-ball stay.
The 22-year-old, in his 15th Test, seemed destined for a second career double century but he cut Mitchell Marsh to Steve Smith at point and departed to a standing ovation.
Australia also removed Devdutt Padikkal (25), Rishabh Pant (1), and Dhruv Jurel (1), having accounted for KL Rahul (77) before lunch.
Rahul’s demise snapped a 201-run opening partnership with Jaiswal, a record for India in Australia, eclipsing the previous best set by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth in Sydney in 1986.
The visitors resumed with a 218-run advantage after seizing control on day two after Australia were dismissed for a woeful 104 in reply to India’s 150.
(With AFP Inputs)
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