PORT OF SPAIN: Star batter Virat Kohli broke the shackles as he brought up his much-awaited away century in Tests on the second day of the ongoing second Test against West Indies.
Virat Kohli made his 500th international match memorable as he ended his away Test century drought with a sensible knock on a challenging surface against West Indies.
The right-handed batter resumed India’s first innings at 288/4 and was just 13 away from a much-awaited ton.
Kohli continued to bat with utmost caution and soon achieved the landmark when he drove one off Shanon Gabriel in the 91st over of India’s first innings.
When this story was filed, Virat Kohli was unbeaten on 112 off 191 deliveries with the help of 11 boundaries.
Notably, Virat Kohli’s last away Test century came against Australia in Perth when he scored a magnificent 123.
He then scored two more in the next year – 254* against South Africa and 136 against Bangladesh – before enduring a nerve-testing all-format century drought.
Virat Kohli had to wait for about three years for his 71st century which finally came against Afghanistan in the dead rubber fixture of the Asia Cup 2022.
His overnight partner Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, also stood his ground firm and notched up a brilliant half-century and is currently unbeaten on 51.
On the opening day of the second Test, the visitors, after being put into bat first, had a solid start to their innings.
Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma raised 139 for the first wicket before Jason Holder got the breakthrough for the West Indies by dismissing the former on 57.
Jaiswal’s departure sparked a collapse in India’s top order and the visitors, as a result, slipped to 182/4 with captain Sharma (80) also making his way back to the dugout.
The pair of Virat Kohli and Jadeja then recovered India from a top-order collapse and took them to 288/4 at the stumps.
READ: Virat Kohli on brink of 76th ton as India on top in second West Indies Test