Virat Kohli equals Don Bradman's record as captain

With his resilient 153 off 303 against South Africa on Day 3 of the 2nd Test between India and South Africa, skipper Virat Kohli broke several records at Centurion. The first session of Day three of the ongoing Test began with the batsman slamming his 21st hundred, and his second in South Africa. He batted alongside the tail and equalled Don Bradman in a special record.

Kohli joined Bradman (8) with most scores in excess of 150 as captain. The legendary Australian cricketer’s highest score as skipper was 270, versus England at the MCG in 1936-37. While Kohli’s 243 versus Sri Lanka during the controversial Delhi Test in 2017, remains his highest as captain.

Kohli during his knock also fell short of bettering Sachin Tendulkar, according to another parameter. Tendulkar has the two of the highest scores by an Indian in South Africa. His 169 in Cape Town and 155 in Johannesburg are still on top of the list with Kohli falling short, marginally. Among the top 50 highest individual scores in South Africa, Tendulkar is the only Indian. Kohli’s 153 takes the 65th position overall.

With that, the 29-year-old’s 153 is now joint-third highest by an Indian. It is Cheteshwar Pujara who shares the position with him for the knock at Johannesburg, back in 2013. Interestingly, both Kohli and Pujara’s highest scores in South Africa are 153. What is more interesting is the fact that Kohli was the Man of the Match for that game with his 119 in the first innings and a 96 in the second innings.

Today’s innings from Kohli, however, will go down as one of his best, even if it is in a losing cause precisely because of the context and situation of the knock. He came in to bat when India were 28/2 and was the lone significant contributor in pushing their second innings total to 303.

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