WI v IND, 2nd TestVirat Kohli hits gritty fifty in landmark 500th international match

By India Today Sports DeskFormer India captain Virat Kohli celebrated his 500th international match milestone by hitting a solid fifty on Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and the West Indies in Port of Spain. It was Kohli’s 30th Test fifty and a crucial one as he helped India recover from a poor second session on the opening day of the series finale at the Queen’s Park Oval on Thursday, July 20.

Virat Kohli got to his fifty in 98 balls in a knock that was reflective of his experience and composure as he steadied the Indian innings that was going downhill after a solid 139-ruin opening stand between half-centurions Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

WI vs IND, 2nd Test Day 1 Highlights

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja stitched a fifty-plus stand for the 5th wicket to help India get back on track in the final session of Day 1 after the visitors fell from 139 for 0 to 185 for 4. West Indies dominated the 2nd session by picking up the big wickets of Rohit Sharma (80), Yashasvi Jaiswal (57), Shubman Gill (10), and Ajinkya Rahane (8) but Kohli took his time to steady the ship for India.

Kohli hit 5 boundaries in a patient knock when he got to his fifty in his landmark 500th international match.

Virat Kohli etched his name in the annals of cricket history by becoming the 10th cricketer globally and the fourth Indian to play 500 international matches.

Before Kohli, only three other Indian players had reached this landmark – Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Rahul Dravid. Tendulkar leads the pack with a staggering 664 international games, followed by Dhoni with 538 and Dravid with 509. Kohli’s achievement is a testament to his fitness, consistency, and unwavering commitment to the sport.

In the first Test against West Indies in Dominica, Kohli showcased his batting prowess by scoring a gritty half-century. He compiled a steady knock of 76, marking the 29th half-century of his Test career. Despite being overshadowed by debutant Yashavi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma, Kohli’s contribution was instrumental in India’s commanding victory.

Rohit Sharma also achieved a major milestone on Thursday as he became the 11th Indian opener to complete 2000 runs in Test cricket. The India captain followed up his century in the first Test with a solid 80 on Day 1 of the 2nd Test before he was undone by left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican.