Virat Kohli reached his 30th Test ton and his 81st century in international cricket, breaking a 16-month drought with a return-to-form special in the Perth Test v Australia.
Kohli entered the Optus Stadium on Sunday with four single-digit scores in his last five innings. He ended up with 100* off 143 balls, before stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah declared the innings with India taking a staggering 533-run lead in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25.
It was Kohli’s seventh Test hundred in Australia, and his ninth against them in the format.
Kohli goes past Bradman
The century took him past Australia great Don Bradman’s tally of 29 Test hundreds, drawing him level with Matthew Hayden and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Only fourteen players have scored more Test tons, and among active batters, he’s led only by Steve Smith and Kane Williamson.
| Player | Test hundreds |
| SR Tendulkar (IND) | 51 |
| JH Kallis (SA) | 45 |
| RT Ponting (AUS) | 41 |
| KC Sangakkara (SL) | 38 |
| R Dravid (IND) | 36 |
| J Root (ENG) | 35 |
| Y Khan (PAK) | 34 |
| S Gavaskar (IND) | 34 |
| B Lara (WI) | 34 |
| DPMD Jayawardene (SL) | 34 |
| AN Cook (ENG) | 33 |
| KS Williamson (NZ) | 32 |
| SPD Smith (AUS) | 32 |
| SR Waugh (AUS) | 32 |
| ML Hayden (AUS) | 30 |
| V Kohli (IND) | 30 |
| S Chanderpaul (WI) | 30 |
Most away centuries in Australia: Kohli sets new record
Kohli also went pass Jack Hobbs for the player with the most away international hundreds in Australia (Tests, ODIs and T20Is combined). He now has ten centuries in the country, Hobbs had nine.
Read more: FEMEN Group’s Protest in Paris Sparks Controversy: Video
Among active batters, no one has more than four, with Rohit Sharma leading that list.
After reaching the landmark, Kohli looked visibly relieved. “I just wanted to contribute to the team’s cause, I don’t want to hang around just for the sake of it, I take pride in performing for the country,” he said.
