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Virat Kohli, who is considered one of the most incredible batters in the world of cricket today, has played many great innings in his career. Virat Kohli is also known as the King of Cricket. His success started with his first centuries, which proved to be the milestones of his career. In this blog, we will know in detail the story of Virat Kohli’s first century in ODIs, Tests and T20s.
Virat Kohli’s First century in ODIs: Debut against Sri Lanka (107)
Key Points
- Date: 24 December 2009
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Runs: 107 runs (off 107 balls)
- Partnership: 224-run partnership with Gautam Gambhir
Virat Kohli scored his first ODI century on 24 December 2009 against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens ground in Kolkata. This century was very important for his career as, at that time, he was trying to become a permanent player of the Indian team.
This match was being played as the 4th ODI between India and Sri Lanka. Playing first, Sri Lanka made a massive score of 315 runs with the loss of 6 wickets in 50 overs. For Sri Lanka, opener Upul Tharanga made the highest score of 118 runs while captain Kumar Sangakkara made 60 runs in the match. For the Indian team, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra took two wickets each.
India got a target of 316 runs, which was considered quite challenging at that time. Virat Kohli made a great partnership with Gautam Gambhir and scored 107 runs in 114 balls. His innings included 11 fours and 1 six.
The Indian team won this match due to the brilliant batting of Virat and Gautam. Virat’s century indicated the immense possibilities of his future. This century helped him make his mark in international cricket. It gave him the confidence that he could perform well even on the big stage.
Man of Match Award Moment
Apart from Kohli, Gautam Gambhir (150 runs, 137 balls, 14 fours) also scored a century in the match in which India won the match by seven wickets. Gautam Gambhir was declared the Man of the Match in this match. But this left-handed batsman showed generosity and gave his Man of the Match award to Virat Kohli.
Memorable Moments of the Match
It was tough for the Indian team to achieve a target of more than 300 runs. The Indian team had a terrible start in this match. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar came to the field to play first for the Indian team. The first two wickets of the Indian team fell at a score of 23 runs in the form of Virender Sehwag (10) and Sachin Tendulkar (8). The team was in a lot of trouble after losing two wickets so early.
After this, Virat and Gautam handled the match and scored centuries. Virat Kohli was out in the 40th over of this match on the ball of Suraj Randiv. But by then, the story of the Indian team’s victory had been written. Gautam Gambhir played an unbeaten 150 runs in this match, and Dinesh Karthik played an unbeaten 19 runs to take the Indian team to victory.
Related Read: Virat Kohli Post-Retirement Plans
Virat Kohli’s First Century in Test: Memorable Innings Played in Australia
Key Points
- Date: 24 January 2012
- Venue: Adelaide Oval, Australia
- Runs: 116 runs (off 213 balls)
- Fours/Sixes: 11 fours, 1 six
Virat Kohli’s first century in Test cricket came against Australia in 2012 at the Adelaide ground. This century was a symbol of his ability and fighting spirit. Virat Kohli had to work hard to make his place in the Test format, and this century proved to be a turning point in his career.
In this match, the Indian team was under pressure in the first innings. Virat Kohli scored 116 runs while fighting single-handedly for his team. His innings included 11 fours and 1 six. Although India lost the match, Virat Kohli’s innings proved that he is as capable in Test cricket as he is in ODIs.
Virat Kohli’s First Century in T20: Explosive Performance Against Afghanistan
Key Points
- Date: 8 September 2022
- Venue: Dubai International Stadium
- Runs: 122* runs (off 61 balls)
- Fours/Sixes: 12 fours, 6 sixes
- Strike Rate: 200
Virat Kohli’s first century in the T20 format came on 8 September 2022 during the Asia Cup against Afghanistan. This century was a memorable moment for his fans as he waited for almost a decade to score it.
In this match, Virat Kohli performed brilliantly and scored 122* runs. He scored this century in just 61 balls, which included 12 fours and six sixes. Virat’s innings helped India to score a massive score of 212 runs. He was awarded the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his innings.
Also Read: Virat Kohli School Name
Virat Kohli First IPL Century
Key Points
- Date: 24 April 2016
- Venue: Rajkot
- Runs: 100* runs (off 63 balls)
Virat Kohli’s first century in IPL came against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot on 24 April 2016. It was a memorable innings in which Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 off 63 balls. He hit 11 fours and 1 six in this innings.
At that time, Kohli was the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the pressure was on him to give the team a strong start. Gujarat Lions had scored 183 runs while batting first, chasing which RCB needed a solid start. Kohli opened the innings and took an aggressive approach from the beginning. He not only maintained the run rate but also did not let wickets fall.
Kohli hit some brilliant shots during his innings, including his trademark cover drives and pull shots. He also faced experienced bowlers like Suresh Raina very well. This century played a vital role in RCB winning the match, although they eventually lost by three wickets.
This century proved to be a turning point in Kohli’s IPL career, as he had not been able to score a century in this league before this. After this century, Kohli scored two more centuries in the same season, which shows his form and confidence. The 2016 IPL season was very successful for Kohli personally, in which he scored 973 runs, which is the record for the most runs scored by a batsman in a season.
This first IPL century helped Kohli establish himself as a great batsman of T20 cricket and made him a favorite of cricket fans around the world. This century is still considered one of the memorable moments of his IPL career. It was not only a personal achievement but also shows how brilliantly Kohli can bat under pressure.
