Dubai, a cricket oasis in midst of the Arabian desert, finally ended Virat Kohli's century drought in international cricket. (Photo credit: AP)
Dubai, a cricket oasis in midst of the Arabian desert, finally ended Virat Kohli's century drought in international cricket. The blistering innings may have come in an inconsequential match in the Asia Cup with both India and Afghanistan out of the race for the summit clash, but the knock heralds a big turnaround in the fortunes of India's batting superstar.
It was 1,019 days since the batting maestro had last hit a hundred in any format of the game and there were clouds of uncertainty whether Kohli will be an automatic selection for the T20 World Cup. From lockdowns and playing cricket in bio-bubble environment to a messy transition of captaincy, the last three years have been mentally draining for Kohli. This was glaring in his dipping form as the prolific run machine stuttered against opponents all around the world.
Since his last hundred in November 2019 against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens, Kohli played in 18 Tests contributing just 872 runs in 32 innings at an abysmal average of 27.25. He managed six 50s with a highest score of 79. Prior to this, Kohli had played in 84 Tests where he amassed 7,202 runs from 141 innings at a staggering average of 54.97. It included 27 hundreds and 22 50s.
His lean patch continued in ODIs as well. Since his last international hundred in November of 2019, he featured in 23 ODI innings making 824 runs at a modest average of 35.82. Prior to this dip in fortunes, he had batted in 230 ODIs pilling up over 11,500 runs at an average of 60.31. This purple patch included 43 hundreds and 54 half centuries.
Even among his compatriots, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant enjoyed significantly better records in Tests and ODIs in the last 3 years. Rohit scored 1,552 runs from his 30 innings in Tests averaging 55.42 with five tons and four 50s. In ODIs, Rohit was equally impressive averaging over 49. Pant averaged 42.78 in his 35 Test innings and 47 in his 14 ODI innings in the last 3 years.
The only format where Kohli seemed to have managed to hold onto his gold standard in recent times was the T20Is. Since November 2019 till he hit the elusive hundred on Thursday, he averaged an impressive 50.60 with a strike rate of 140.94 in his 31 innings. Prior to this, he had a similar average of 50.00 with a strike rate of 135.28 from his 67 innings.
But in Tests and ODIs, not only did his runs dry up, Kohli's impact on the outcome of the match had also started to wane. In last 3 years, he failed to win any man of the match awards in Tests and just had one man of the match award in ODIs and two in T20Is. This was truly a big setback for the man hailed as a game changer. Before this lull, he had won nine man of the match awards in Tests, 36 in ODIs and 13 in T20Is.
Despite the blip, Kohli is way ahead of the race among current batsmen when it comes to most hundreds in international cricket. With this hundred at Dubai, he now has 71 international hundreds. Joe Root with 44 and Warner with 43 are way behind of the Indian ace. In the all-time list, Kohli is now tied with Ricky Ponting in the second place in the charts, led by Sachin Tendulkar with a virtual matchless tally of 100 centuries.
Kohli's hundred today with a strike rate of 200 at the top of the order has also fuelled a debate whether he should be gunning for the opener's slot along with Rohit in the T20 World Cup in Australia. Kohli has now opened in nine matches and enjoys a healthy strike of 161 and an average of 57. Though the sample size is too small considering he has played in 104 T20Is, Kohli as an opener gives the team an opportunity to accommodate an extra batter in the middle order or an all-rounder.
India's inconsistent run in the Asia Cup has been disappointing, raising several questions on the team combinations going ahead but Kohli's return to form with this scintillating hundred has given Indian fans a lot to cheer about.
Now the family is waiting for a bail in connection with a case under PMLA at Lucknow court.
Bajrang Dal and VHP claimed Kamra "mocks and makes fun of Hindu deities in his show" demanding his shows to be...
Charles, 73, became monarch immediately after the death of his mother at her Scottish Highland retreat on Thursday.
In London, 96 rounds of gun salutes – one for every year of the Queen's life – have been fired in tribute to the late...
The two sides have also agreed to take the talks forward and resolve remaining issues and restore peace and tranquility...
Several IT companies are still underwater despite efforts to drain out the water which has caused difficulties to...
Kohinoor is a diamond with a mystery and history. From emperors to queens, the diamond has changed several hands...
In the last seven decades on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II saw 15 British Prime Ministers come and go, from Winston...
In a statement, Charles called his mother's death "a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my...
At the event, Modi met a group of sixteen workers, who were engaged in the redevelopment of the entire stretch, and...
Elizabeth, who marked 70 years on the throne this year, is the oldest and longest-reigning monarch in British history....
Kohli struck a delightful unbeaten 122 off just 61 balls, while stand-in skipper KL Rahul scored 62 off 41 deliveries to...