Mace in India #8: Virat Kohli stacks up the doubles
In the last 12 months, Virat Kohli has played 11 Test matches. In these, he has scored 1090 runs, including five centuries, at an average of 68.12. Those five three-figure scores include two double-centuries, taking his tally in Tests to six.
When Sri Lanka toured India in November-December 2017 for a three-Test series, India won 1-0.
It was an interesting series for Kohli, a series in which he tallied 610 runs from five innings, but got all those runs in the final four innings after starting out with an 11-ball duck in the first innings of the first Test in Kolkata.
The Sri Lankan pacers, led by Suranga Lakmal, got to make first use of the conditions – a green pitch and favourable overhead conditions following heavy showers.
Kohli bounced back to score 104 not out in the second innings in a match truncated by rain, and India set Sri Lanka a target of 231. Only 26.3 overs of the Sri Lankan chase were possible, and India, who were behind the eight ball for the longest time in the match, almost pulled off victory by reducing the visitors to 75/7 within that time.
That was Kohli’s 18th Test century. It was also the beginning of Kohli’s run fest.
In both the remaining Tests, in Nagpur and Delhi, Kohli scored double-centuries.
In Nagpur, Sri Lanka were rolled over for 205 first up, and India responded with 610/6 declared. Murali Vijay (128) and Cheteshwar Pujara (143) set the platform. Rohit Sharma provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 102. And in between, Kohli scored a brilliant 213, in around six-and-a-half hours at a strike rate of 79.77.
Century No.19. Double-century No.5.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 166 in the second innings for a massive Indian win, by an innings and 239 runs.
In the final Test, India once again managed to put up an imposing total of 536/7 declared in the first innings. The cornerstones of the innings: Vijay’s 155 from the top of the order and Kohli’s 243 from No.4.
Century No.20. Double-century No.6. Also his highest Test score to date.
The sixth double-century also set a record in the process, for most double-tons by a captain in Test cricket. He also became the third Indian to hit six doubles after Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar.
Sri Lanka held on to draw the game. Kohli bagged the Player of the Match award two Tests in a row and, with it, the Player of the Series award.