WTC final, Virat Kohli could equal Sourav Ganguly's record: Stats
What's the story
Virat Kohli will be pivotal for India as they take on Australia in the final of the ICC World Test Championship at the Oval. All eyes will be on Kohli, considering his stellar form recently. He has enjoyed a great IPL 2023 and is in the mix of runs. Fans will hope he breaks many records by scoring big in this match. Here's more.
Record
Kohli may match Ganguly's century record in the ICC Finals
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly slammed a century in the ICC Champions Trophy final in 2000, which remains the only century in ICC finals among Indian batters. Ganguly slammed a 130-ball 117 in the finals against New Zealand. Kohli may become the second Indian to achieve that feat in an ICC Final. His century will lighten up the Indian camp.
Centuries
Kohli can surpass Gavaskar in this record
Kohli has slammed eight Test hundreds against Australia. He has the joint second-most Test tons by an Indian against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar leads the race having scored 11 Test hundreds against the Kangaroos. Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar is tied with Kohli for slamming eight Test centuries against the Aussies. If Kohli gets to a hundred in the WTC final, he can surpass Gavaskar.
Centuries
Kohli may script this record in SENA countries
SA, England, NZ and Australia are collectively known as SENA countries, and Indians don't have exceptional records in these countries. However, players like Tendulkar and Kohli have dominated under different conditions. Therefore, by the age of 34, Sachin had amassed 22 centuries across such nations. Kohli, at the same age, has 21 tons against these nations. Kohli may match Sachin in this regard.
Information
Fastest to 76 centuries
Kohli currently has smashed 75 international hundreds. He has amassed these centuries in 554 innings. If he scores a century in the World Test Championship final against Australia, then he will become the fastest to 76 centuries, breaking Tendulkar's record of 587 innings.
Milestone
Kohli may complete these milestones against Australia
The 34-year-old talisman has tallied 1,979 runs against the Aussies at an average of 48.26 in 24 Test matches. He has smashed eight centuries and five fifties. Kohli needs 21 more to complete 2,000 Test runs against them and become the fifth Indian batter to do so in this format. He also needs 55 more runs to complete 5,000 international runs against Australia (4,945).
Stats
A look at his overall Test numbers
Kohli has raced to 8,416 runs in 108 Tests at 48.93. Besides 28 tons, he also carries 28 fifties. He owns 4,144 runs in 50 home Tests at 60.05. His tally of 14 Test tons at home is the fourth-most for an Indian. He has scored 4,215 runs at 41.73 in away Tests and 57 runs at 28.5 in his only neutral Test match.