3 Top 40s by Virat Kohli in International Cricket
India defeated Australia by six wickets in the second test in Delhi to take a 2 - 0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Series. Australia put up a much better showing (in the first innings) than Nagpur but could not do enough to stop the Indian juggernaut.
Apart from Cheteshwar Pujara, who played his 100th Test for India, it was a memorable match for Virat Kohli too as he became the fastest player to reach 25000 runs in international cricket, surpassing his idol Sachin Tendulkar.
'King Kohli' looked in good touch in both innings but could not get a big score against his name. He would consider himself unlucky in the first innings being given out LBW on 44, despite replays showing a clear inside edge.
Its clear inside edge off to the pads. Worst Umpiring in the 2nd test between India and New Zealand #ViratKohli #notout https://t.co/BORSkbYGe9
Nevertheless, 'The Run-Machine' will take confidence from his good batting displays in Delhi and try to convert his starts into big scores in the coming games.
It should be noted that his 44 came in tough conditions at a time when the Indian team was struggling. Thus, Kohli would believe that a big score is around the corner.
On that note, let’s explore 3 high-quality 40s by Virat Kohli in international cricket.
#1 Champions Trophy Final, 2013 (43 runs off 34 balls)
Coming in the final of an ICC event, 'King Kohli' made batting look easy on a wicket where batters from both teams struggled. In a scintillating display of counter-attacking batting, Kohli threw caution to the wind as he propelled India to a total of 129/7 on a damp wicket at Birmingham. His efforts turned out to be match-winning on the day as M.S. Dhoni clinched the final ICC trophy that he was yet to bring home.
#2 ICC World Test Championship Final, 2021 (44 off 132 balls)
Albeit in a losing cause, Virat Kohli once again displayed why he is one of the best in the business as he played a fine hand in an extraordinary display of patience. In a lush green pitch at Southampton, Kohli looked like one of the better batters from both sides as he hit only one boundary, paying utmost respect to the conditions and opposition bowlers. Despite his best efforts, India ended up on the wrong side of the result.
#3 Asia Cup, 2016 (49 off 51 balls)
Playing on a rather unconventional subcontinent pitch against arch-rivals Pakistan, India were reduced to 8/3 within the first three overs.
Chasing a mere 84 runs, Virat Kohli single-handedly took India home as he was the only batter from both teams who looked comfortable, showing yet again why he is a cut above the rest.
He looked set to finish the match for India before suffering an unfortunate dismissal and being given out LBW. However, replays showed that the ball would clearly go above the stumps.
With that, we conclude our piece on 3 Top 40s by Virat Kohli in international cricket. Can you think of any such innings by the Indian maestro? Let us know in the comments section below.