Kohli became the 18th player to score 9,000 runs in Test cricket and joined Joe Root and Steve Smith as the only active players in this exclusive club
Our Bureau
Bengaluru
Virat Kohli joined an elite group of cricketers by scoring his 9,000th run in Test matches during a fluent 70 on day three of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Kohli, who batted at No. 3 for the second time in this Test, turned the tables after being dismissed for a duck in the first innings on October 17.
Prior to this match, Kohli had last batted at No. 3 in 2016 and had a modest average of 19.40 in that position. However, he showcased his class in the second innings, notching up his first Test half-century since December 2023. Alongside Sarfaraz Khan, Kohli forged a crucial partnership of 136 runs that revived India’s innings.
Needing 53 runs to surpass the 9,000-run mark, Kohli reached his half-century off 70 balls, featuring five boundaries and a majestic six off Ajaz Patel. He then carefully accumulated the additional three runs needed to reach the milestone, taking a further nine balls.
According to Wisden, Kohli became the 18th player to score 9,000 runs in Test cricket and joined Joe Root and Steve Smith as the only active players in this exclusive club. He also became the fourth Indian to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
In terms of innings taken to reach 9,000 runs, Kohli’s 197 innings make him the sixth-slowest to achieve the milestone. The record for the slowest is jointly held by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Steve Waugh, who both took 216 innings. Kumar Sangakkara holds the record for the fastest to 9,000 runs, achieving it in just 172 innings, followed by Smith and Dravid. Kohli is the slowest among the Indian players in this group, with Dravid taking 174 innings, Tendulkar 179, and Gavaskar 192.
Looking ahead, Kohli’s next target on the all-time run-scoring list is Graeme Smith, who is currently over 200 runs ahead as per Wisden. Within the Indian context, Kohli needs another 1,100 runs to surpass Gavaskar for third place on India’s all-time run-scorers list. With two more Tests against New Zealand and a five-Test series in Australia in December, Kohli is well-positioned to climb higher in the rankings by the end of the year. (ANI)
Meanwhile, former Indian spinner Anil Kumble questioned the Indian team’s decision to send star batter Virat Kohli at number three during the first Test against New Zealand, asserting that he is the team’s best batter at the number four spot.
During the ninth over of the first innings, pacer William O’Rourke dismissed Virat for a nine-ball duck. After removing skipper Rohit Sharma, New Zealand claimed the crucial wicket of Virat, as the 35-year-old batter tried to play a delivery just short of length on off-stump but encountered extra bounce. Virat attempted to defend on his toes, but the ball caught his top glove before flying towards Phillips at leg gully, who took a fine catch.
Speaking to JioCinema, Kumble criticised the decision, noting that the team needed someone like Cheteshwar Pujara at number three, whose absence was felt during the game.
“Virat Kohli should have batted at No. 4, he is your number one batter at that position. For the number three position, [you need] someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who did so well for so many years playing there. [After] 100 Test matches, because he would have been there today, then I do not think he would have gone looking to hit,” Kumble said.
“He (Pujara) would have allowed the ball to come on, and that’s where you miss someone with that kind of approach today. And India is certainly in a spot of bother here,” he added.
At number four, Virat has scored 7,355 runs at an average of 52.53 in 91 Tests and 148 innings, with 25 centuries and 21 fifties. His highest score at this position is 254*. At number three, he has managed just 97 runs in seven innings, with a poor average of 16.16 and a top score of 41. In four Tests this year, Virat has scored 157 runs in seven innings at an average of 26.16, with no fifties and a best score of 47.
