Last Updated on June 8, 2021 by Avik Das
Virat Kohli is called the modern-day great in Cricket. The Indian skipper has successfully replaced Sachin Tendulkar as his successor, and he has been carrying the India Cricket team on his shoulder for a while. Whether in Test, T20, or ODI, the Delhi born player has been incredible for over a decade, amassing 70 centuries in International Cricket. Although he has been having a rough patch with centuries lately, he has already entered the list of most centuries in International Cricket, with just behind Sachin Tendulkar in ODI International.
Kohli has scored tons wherever he has played. Other than in his home soil, Kohli’s has a remarkable batting record in challenging conditions like New Zealand, Australia, England, and South Africa, where other Indian batsmen often struggle. Due to his superior batting all over the world, he has helped India to win many Test or limited-overs matches over the years, hitting numerous centuries in the winning cause.
Let’s take a look at the ten greatest centuries of Virat Kohli in International Cricket.
10) 100 Not Out Vs Bangladesh (Cricket ICC World Cup 2011, February 19, 2011)
It was the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, which the Indian Cricket Team won comprehensively. The match was between Team India and Bangladesh.
Batting first, India had an incredible start, owing to the attacking knock from Virender Sehwag, who scored a quickfire 175 runs off 140 balls. Virat Kohli came at number four position, and he guided the Indian innings till the end. Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 off 83 balls at a strike rate of 113. Dhoni’s men ended up with a Cricket score of 370 and won the match by 87 runs at the end. Meanwhile, it was the only century of Kohli in the 2011 Cricket World Cup.
9) 107 Vs Pakistan (Cricket ICC World Cup, February 15, 2015)
Virat Kohli has demonstrated his maturity and responsibility on several big occasions, including at the 2015 World Cup, where Team India faced the arch-rivals, Pakistan. It was a group stage, and the stakes were high because India’s unbeaten streak against Pakistan in the World Cup was on the line once again.
India batted first and led his side to a total Cricket scorecard of 300 with a stupendous against a fine bowling attack in tough conditions. Kohli played a responsible knock of 107 runs from 126 balls. After a brilliant bowling performance from Team India, they won the match by 76 runs.
8) 115 & 141 Vs Australia( Adelaide Test, 2014)
The Australian tour in 2014-15 was one of the memorable tours in Virat Kohli’s career. While Team India failed to win a Test match in that tour, Kohli had a golden run, as he scored four Test tons in four Test matches.
India lost the first match in Adelaide, but Kohli was the star of the match. The star right-handed batsman scored centuries in both innings of the Adelaide Test, dominating the Aussie bowling, especially Mitchell Johnson. Kohli scored 115 in the first innings and 141 in the second inning. Kohli showed his valour because he was captain of the side in place of injured MS Dhoni.
7) 107 Vs Sri Lanka ( December 24, 2009, Eden Gardens, Kolkata)
The first century in International Cricket always has a special place for any Cricketer. Even though Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008, after a couple of failures, he made a statement in a match against Sri Lanka back in 2009.
Sri Lanka scored 315 runs, but it turned out to be an easy chase for India.
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli had an impressive partnership of 224 runs. While Gambhir scored 150 runs, Kohli scored his maiden international century with a knock of 107 runs.
6) 103 Vs England ( August 18, 2018, Trent Bridge, England)
After he failed in the previous England tour, Virat Kohli bounced back with fine performances in the next tour in 2018. In the third Test match of the tour, which was held in Trent Bridge, Virat Kohli played a crucial role to hand Team India a historical win.
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India won the match comfortably by 203 runs. Kohli narrowly missed the ton in the first innings, scoring 97 runs. But he scored a brilliant 103 in the second innings of India to give the team a huge lead over England.
5) 183 Vs Pakistan ( March 18, 2012, Dhaka, Asia Cup)
Virat Kohli hit the highest score in ODI Cricket back in 2012. Indian Cricket Team played against Pakistan, and it was one of the most entertaining encounters between these arch-rivals.
India was chasing a score of 330 in 50 overs. Virat Kohli’s outstanding knock of 183 runs in 148 made the task easy for Men in Blue. Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma also scored half-centuries in that match.
4) 254 Vs South Africa ( October 10, 2019, Pune Test)
Virat Kohli amassed his seventh double century in Test Cricket two years ago when India was playing against South Africa. The Indian skipper scored an awe-inspiring knock of 254 runs in the second Test match in Pune in 2019. With Kohli’s mammoth knock, Team India managed to post 601 runs on the board before declaring. He scored it in 336 balls at a strike rate of 75.
In reply, South Africa bundled up twice and hence, India won the match by an innings and 137 runs.
3) 153 Vs South Africa ( January 13, 2018, Centurion Test)
Virat Kohli slashed another great century against the Proteas in the red ball Cricket, but it wasn’t on his home turf. Kohli showed his merit away from the home in challenging and fast-bowling friendly pitches of South Africa. During India’s tour of South Africa in 2017-18, Kohli scored an impressive ton in the first innings of India.
Kohli was the lone warrior for India, as he scored half of India’s total in the first inning. While India scored 307 runs in the first innings, Kohli ended up scoring 153 runs.
2) 133 Vs Sri Lanka ( February 28, 2012, Hobart)
Virat Kohli played some great knocks against Sri Lanka. His aggressive century against the island nation in Australia was certainly one of the greatest tons in One Day Cricket history, not just in Kohli’s career.
It was simply a jaw-dropping performance from Men in Blue as they secured the fastest chase of a 300+ score in ODI Cricket in that match. With a strike rate of over 150, Kohli scored 133 runs in 86 balls and remained not out. India chased the score of 320 runs in just 36.4 overs. The memorable moment of the knock was when Kohli hit Lasith Malinga for six boundaries in an over.
1) 169 Vs Australia ( December 26, 2014, MCG, Melbourne)
Scoring a Test at Melbourne Cricket Stadium is certainly a dream for every Cricketer, considering it is one of the most famous Cricket arenas in the globe. During India’s tour of Australia in 2014-15, Kohli was the star in the Boxing Day Test at MCG.
In the first innings of the Test match, Virat Kohli played a fighting knock of 169, which enabled India to draw the Test match.
Avik Das is the founder of Sportsheed. He is a sports lover with broad knowledge of Professional Wrestling, MMA, Football, and Cricket. He has an English major and has previously written articles for various sports and entertainment websites
