Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Virat Kohli ends century drought, leaves Tendulkar behind in record books

India’s batting maestro, Virat Kohli, delivered a masterclass at the Optus Stadium, smashing a scintillating century in the first Test of the five-match series against Australia. The knock, his 30th in Test cricket, ended a prolonged drought in the format and etched his name ahead of Sachin Tendulkar in the record books for most Test centuries by a visiting batter in Australia.

After a modest first-innings score of 5, Kohli rebounded brilliantly in India's second innings. Batting at No. 4, he adapted seamlessly to the challenging Perth conditions, displaying vintage form and countering Australia’s pace and spin attack with precision. His century, studded with 10 boundaries and two sixes, came off 210 balls, solidifying India’s grip on the match.

Kohli’s century, his seventh on Australian soil, tied him with England’s Jack Hobbs for the most Test centuries by a visiting batter in Australia. He also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of six Test tons in the country, cementing his legacy in the cricketing annals.

The feat also marked Kohli’s 81st international century and 10th across formats in Australia—yet another testament to his unparalleled dominance on foreign soil.

Kohli’s Perth performance brought another historic achievement: his 100th century in professional cricket. He reached this milestone on Sunday during the third innings of the Perth Test, becoming the 37th player in the world to score 100 centuries. He is the first active Indian cricketer to join this prestigious club, which includes legends like Kumar Sangakkara. Jack Hobbs leads this list with an astounding 199 centuries.

Reflecting on his achievement in a post-match interview with Adam Gilchrist, Kohli remarked, “I'm not a guy who hangs around for the sake of it. I take pride in performing for the country.”

Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah declared the innings immediately after Kohli reached the landmark, setting Australia a daunting target of 534 runs. With a strong bowling attack led by Bumrah, India looks poised to push for a dominant victory and take a lead in the series.