India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has lauded former skipper Virat Kohli, who is all set to play his 100th Test match in India’s opening Test against Sri Lanka, starting Friday, March 4 at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Kohli has been a fulcrum of India’s Test team over the last decade but has had a tough time of late.
Under his leadership, India lost the Test series in South Africa 1-2 after initially taking a 1-0 lead following the win at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. Soon after, the 33-year-old resigned as the skipper of the Test team. The fact that he hasn’t scored an international ton since the Day-Night affair against Bangladesh hasn’t helped his cause.
When Kohli walks out to play his 100th Test, the crowds won’t be there to welcome him as the game in Mohali will be played behind closed doors. Bumrah lauded Kohli for the stupendous milestone and for contributing wholeheartedly to Indian cricket.
The Ahmedabad-born Jasprit Bumrah heaped praises on Virat Kohli during the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, March 1. While Kohli will be playing under Rohit Sharma’s leadership in the two-match Test, Bumrah has been named as the vice-captain.
Jasprit Bumrah lauds Virat Kohli
“It is always a special achievement for a player to play 100 Tests. Virat has contributed a lot for this team & will continue to do so. It is another feather on his cap and I would like to congratulate Kohli – It is a testimony of his hard work,” Bumrah was quoted as saying.
Kohli is also 38 runs short of becoming the sixth Indian batter with 8000 plus runs in Test cricket. The other five batters are Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag. Since his debut in 2011, Kohli has scored, 7962 runs in Test cricket at an average of 50.39 with 27 tons and 28 half-centuries.
After the Mohali Test, India and Sri Lanka will lock horns in the Day-Night Test, starting Saturday, March 12 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The Delhi-born Kohli didn’t take part in the three-match T20I series against the Lankans that India won 3-0.
