Virat Kohli Enters Elite Top 5, Leaves Behind India Great With Huge Test Feat

15.07.2023 - 04:17 sports.ndtv.com

One of the greatest batters in history, Virat Kohli wasn't the man in focus on Day 2 of the first Test against West Indies, with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma scoring centuries to put India in the driver's seat.

Yet, Kohli managed to bag another big milestone to his name, leaving behind one of the finest openers in the game, Virender Sehwag.

With his unbeaten 36-run knock on Thursday, Kohli saw himself earning a promotion to the top 5 Test batters in the history of Indian cricket.

With his stay on the crease on Day 2, Kohli went past Sehwag (8503) on the elite list to be placed at the 5th spot in the list of top run-getters for India in Test cricket.

cricket India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team 2023 West Indies vs India Test Virat Kohli Sachin Tendulkar India

Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya said stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli needed to be rested for the second and third ODIs against West Indies to help India give opportunities to youngsters ahead of the World Cup. Skipper Rohit and former captain Kohli were rested once again in the final ODI of the series, which India won 2-1 after a whopping 200-run victory here on Tuesday under Hardik's leadership. "Virat and Rohit are very integral part of the team. And, you know, obviously, this was very important for someone like Rutu (Ruturaj Gaikwad) to get a game or Axar (Patel) to get a game because they've been playing cricket for so many years, they know how exactly all these situations have been.

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.

Watch: Rested Virat Kohli Turns 'Water Boy' For Team India vs West Indies. Internet In Awe

The Indian playing XI for the second ODI against West Indies in Barbados on Saturday had a different look as regular captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were not part of it. Hardik Pandya stood in for Rohit, the skipper. "Few questions need to be answered for us, so Virat and Rohit are resting. They can be fresh for the third ODI. The way we bowled was impressive. The way we caught was great, it changed the momentum. I think when you get someone out for 115, it's a good effort from the bowlers. Our catching was impressive, but we can improve in certain areas. Instead of losing five wickets, we could have lost only two wickets and finished the last game. Sanju Samson and Axar Patel come in for Rohit and Virat," stand-in captain Hardik Pandya said at the toss.

Watch: Virat Kohli Shares Valuable Tips With West Indies Batter, Star's Gesture Is Viral

Star batter Virat Kohli didn't get a chance to bat in the first ODI against West Indies on Thursday as the management decided to shuffle the batting order. With the visitors chasing a modest target of 115, Ishan Kishan opened the batting with Shubman Gill, with captain Rohit Sharma coming in at no. 7. Kohli, however, did not bat in the chase as India won the match by five wickets. After the match, Kohli was seen having a chat with West Indies captain Shai Hope.

Virat Kohli Equals New Zealand Great In Elite List, Eyes Ex-India Skipper's Huge Feat

Virat Kohli did not bat in India's five-wicket victory over West Indies in the first ODI match in Barbados but that did not stop him from adding another major accolade to his already illustrious career. Kohli pulled off a stunning catch at second slip off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja to dismiss Romario Shepherd and it was his 142nd catch in ODI cricket. He is currently tied in the fourth spot with New Zealand's Ross Taylor when it comes to cricketers with most ODI catches. Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardene tops the list with 218 while Australia's Ricky Ponting is second with 160. Kohli will be looking to become the highest-placed Indian cricketer in the list by surpassing Mohammed Azharuddin who is third with 156 catches.

Watch: Virat Kohli's Extreme Reflexes Leaves WI Star Romario Shepherd Shocked, Ravindra Jadeja Rejoices

Virat Kohli always leaves his mark on the cricket field. Even when he is not batting, Kohli never ceases to impress. On Thursday, Kohli was at his best as he made some brilliant saves for India against West Indies in the first ODI. The highlight was Kohli's catch of Romario Shepherd off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling. In the 18th over, Shepherd tried to steer Jadeja's delivery on the off-side only to find Virat Kohli's extremely safe hands. The WI batter looked shocked and disappointed at the dismissal as Jadeja broke into a celebration.