Virat Kohli's 3 best Test knocks at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Regarded as arguably the greatest modern-day batter, Virat Kohli is going through an unreal decline in Test cricket. Since 2019, Kohli has only scored two Test centuries and his average has been hovering around 30. For a player of Kohli’s class, the duration of his struggle for runs is a matter of big concern.
In the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, Kohli has failed to make a significant impact barring a well-compiled 70 against in the second innings of the opening Test at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. To add to India’s misery, they have also lost their first Test series at home since 2012.
The fortress was finally breached by a confident New Zealand team who had a variety of street-smart cricketers who got the job done with a match still to go. At the start of the series, India was the outright favourite to win the series 3-0 but nothing worked for them in the first two Tests.
Despite losing the series, India has to stand up and make sure they salvage a win in the final Test slated to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from November 1. The Test will also be very important from the WTC perspective. One more loss and India could be staring down the barrel.
For India, it will be very important for Virat Kohli to get among the runs before the much-anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli has a good record at the Wankhede and will look to replicate some of his heroics from the previous years. Let us have a look at the three best Test knocks from Virat Kohli at the Wankhede:
# 3. 63 vs West Indies in 2011
This was one of the most thrilling Test matches where fortunes fluctuated from one end to the other before West Indies just about managed to salvage a draw with India just one run away from the victory target. Riding on a superb 166 by Darren Bravo and useful contributions from the top three, West Indies posted a massive 590 in the first innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s century and Tendulkar’s 94 took India within 108 runs of West Indies’ first-innings score. Pragyan Ojha wreaked havoc in the second innings, bowling West Indies out for just 134 runs. India were set a target of 243 and needed to chase it down in quick time.
India was reduced to 113/4, and West Indies seemed to have the upper hand. However, youngster Virat Kohli turned things around and played a stunning knock of 63 to get the home team close to the victory target. He struck three fours and a six during his well-compiled knock, but it wasn't enough to get his side over the finish line.
# 2. 57 vs West Indies in 2013
Another important half-century that Kohli scored at the Wankhede Stadium came against West Indies in the farewell Test of Sachin Tendulkar in 2013. Pragyan Ojha’s fifer helped India bowl out West Indies for 182 in the first innings.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma scored centuries to put India in a commanding position. Virat Kohli also scored a fine half-century to provide stability in the middle overs. He struck five fours during his fluent knock and was eventually dismissed by Shane Shillingford.
The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha ran through the West Indies batting line-up, bagging nine wickets between them to orchestrate a massive win by an innings and 126 runs.
# 1. 235 vs England in 2016
One of the finest knocks Kohli has played so far came against England at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in 2016. On a belter of a batting track, Kohli tormented the English bowling attack, helping India post a mammoth score of 631 in the first innings, securing a massive 231-run lead.
Riding on a debut Test century by Keaton Jennings, England scored 400 in the first innings but it was the Indian batters who gained ascendancy with a brilliant batting performance. Murali Vijay laid the foundation with an impressive century.
Kohli came in at No 4 with the score reading 146/2. Kohli looked resolute out in the middle and was hardly troubled by any of the English bowlers. His incredible knock was studded with 25 fours and a six. England was blown away in the second innings with Ravi Ashwin bagging six as India registered a massive victory by an innings and 36 runs.