During the second Test against Sri Lanka, India batted for a whopping 176.1 overs, which, just to add a little context, is 1,057 deliveries.
The home side piled on the runs in Nagpur and at the centre of it all was the Indian captain Virat Kohli. Out of India’s total of 610/6d, Kohli was the top-scorer with 213 runs.
After the innings, Kohli etched his name into history as he became first captain to score 10 centuries in a calendar year, went past Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most centuries (11) as Indian captain, and equaled Brian Lara’s record for the most double centuries (5) scored by a Test captain.
It all sounds great when one hears those numbers, but is Kohli’s game actually on par with the likes of Brian Lara and Sunil Gavaskar?
Virat’s 200s vs Lara’s 200s
If the sets of five double centuries by each of the players, Virat Kohli and Brian Lara are compared, it can be seen that the West Indian’s five double centuries as Test captain ranks much higher than that of the Indian captain.
While Kohli scored four double centuries at home and one against a listless West Indian attack in North Sound, Lara notched his double centuries against bowling attacks of greater pedigree.
When Lara scored his first double century as captain in 1999, he battled against the bowlers who are greatest among all time – Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.
The double hundred against South Africa was another commendable one as Lara batted against the likes of Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini in overseas conditions.
If Kohli’s best double century has to be picked, then it will probably be the one he scored against England, which was against a largely inexperienced attack.
Kohli vs Ponting
Kohli surpassed Ricky Ponting and Graeme Smith’s record for scoring 9 international centuries in a calendar year in the second Test against Sri Lanka this year. Ponting had recorded 9 centuries in 2005 and 2006, while Smith achieved the feat in 2005.
When Kohli’s centuries in 2017 and Ponting’s centuries in 2005 and 2006 are compared, it can be seen that Ponting scored centuries of higher value.
Fortunately for Kohli, India has played Sri Lanka in 5 Test matches in the matter of 4 months. Out of the 10 centuries this year, 5 have been scored against the lower-ranked Sri Lanka. In fact, 6 centuries have been scored at home and the other four were scored in Sri Lanka and West Indies collectively.
Ponting on the other hand played a few stand out innings away from home. His innings of 156 runs in Manchester, 2005, helped Australia save the the third Test.
In 2006, Ponting (103 & 116) scored a century in each innings against South Africa in Durban. He also scored 164 off 105 balls in an ODI against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Captain Virat vs Captain Gavaskar
The one record that Virat Kohli can be proud of is – scoring the most centuries as India’s Test captain. The Delhi batsman surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 11 centuries.
Kohli can own this record without any qualms as he has scored an equal number of centuries (six) at home and away, while Gavaskar recorded most of his centuries (nine) at home.
More importantly, Kohli scored a century in each innings in his first Test as captain against Australia in 2014.
Boxes to Tick
Virat Kohli may have recorded a 50-plus batting average in each of the formats in cricket, but at the end of his career, the number of the centuries or his batting average will not be the most substantial statistics, which will define his greatness.
Kohli will have to find a way to stand up against quality bowling attacks and take India to victory through his own bat in countries such as Australia, England and South Africa.
The Delhi batsman has scored runs in Australia and South Africa, but is yet to win a Test match for India through his centuries.
Kohli has certainly made the best out of the opposition that he has been provided with, but he wil have to tick certain boxes to be in the same club as Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting.
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