Virat Kohli 500 Not Out: India Great Enters Elite List That Has Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Ricky Ponting Among Others

20.07.2023 - 14:09 sports.ndtv.com

Virat Kohli reached yet another milestone in international cricket during India's second Test of the two-match series against West Indies in Trinidad.

The match is Kohli's 500th match in the international stage and he joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Ricky Ponting, MS Dhoni, Shahid Afridi, Ms Dhoni, Rahul Dravid - all of whom have played over 500 games in the international stage.

Ever since his international debut in 2008, Virat has solidified his status as a legend in the game. Though cricket fans knew that this under-19 World Cup-winning skipper was destined for greatness, the way he went on a record-breaking spree in the 2010s is something unprecedented in the sport.

Not many in the game can boast of a prime that Virat had in the 2010s, which saw him become the 'ICC Men's Player of the Decade'.

cricket India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team 2023 West Indies vs India Ricky Ponting Virat Kohli Sachin Tendulkar Shahid Afridi Don Bradman Australia India

While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain the most popular Indian cricketers, it has now come to light that when it came to dope tests this year, another star cricketer was the most tested one in the sport. India captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli were not tested during the first five months of 2023. Hardik Pandya, who has been leading the India T20 International side for some time, underwent one test - 'Out Of Competition' (OOC) urine sample in April.

"Middle Order Crumbled Without Virat Kohli And Rohit Sharma": Ex-India Star's Warning For Youngsters Ahead Of World Cup

The recently-concluded India vs West Indies three-match ODI series was a good test for the former team that continues to prepare for the ODI World Cup 2023. After the series opener, India rested veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the next two games. The very first game without the two star players saw Indian batting unit failing miserably. The side posted was bundled out for 181 runs batting first before West Indies chased it down in 36.4 overs with six wickets in hand.

'Take The Reality Check': How Virat Kohli's Rescue Act Helped India A Star Tide Through Bad Phase

Indian all-rounder Riyan Parag has made head turn with his blistering performance with the bat during the recently-concluded Deodhar Trophy. After back-to-back centuries in the quarter-final and semi-final, Parag smashed a brilliant 95 in a losing cause, with East Zone chasing 329 against South Zone in the final. With 354 runs and 11 wickets in the bag, Parag was named player of the tournament, despite his team losing in the final. Parag was on the receiving end of some harsh criticism after he had a miserable outing in the last edition of IPL and was brutally trolled by the fans and former cricketers for his flop show.

No Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Again For India In Must-Win Contest vs West Indies. Stand-in Captain Hardik Pandya Says This

India chose to go without Virat Kohli and regular skipper Rohit Sharma yet again in the must-win third ODI against West Indies in Trinidad on Tuesday. The duo had been rested for the second ODI against West Indies which India lost as the hosts levelled the three-match series 1-1. At the toss, Hardik Pandya came, which made it apparent that Rohit Sharma was not in the XI. When he was asked about whether Kohli was playing or not, Pandya gave this answer: "Two changes for us. Ruturaj comes in place of Umran and Unadkat comes in place of Axar. Going to the decider the boys are pumped up and looking forward to the game. Looks good (the surface), I don't think much will change, batting first gives a good opportunity for us to set a good total."

Will Virat Kohli Break All Batting Records? West Indies Great Has An Honest Answer

Former West Indies batter Gary Sobers has shared a piece of warning for India's batting great Virat Kohli. The 34-year-old is one of the finest batters in world cricket and he continues to break records as his career progresses. He currently has 76 international centuries to his name and is only behind the great Sachin Tendulkar on the list of most tons at the highest level. Many cricket experts have already prophesied that Kohli will go on to break many records by the time he calls time on his career, however, Sobers has a different viewpoint.

Wasim Jaffer's 'Pathaan' Twist To Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Not Playing 2nd ODI vs West Indies

As Hardik Pandya came out at the toss for the second ODI against West Indies in Barbados, there was anticipation in the air. The stand-in captain then clarified that indeed Rohit Sharma was not playing along with Virat Kohli. India managed to clinch the first match after facing a few challenges. Ishan Kishan performed exceptionally well with the bat to help India chase down a total of 114. The visitors would be keen to clinch the series with a second consecutive win.