Virat Kohli became the 4th Indian and 18th overall test batsman to reach 9,000 Test runs with a fluent knock on day three in Bengaluru. Kohli batted at No. 3 for the second time in the first Test against New Zealand after being caught for a duck in leg slips yesterday. Before this Test match, Kohli had previously batted at number three in 2016 and had an average of 19.40. However, he changed the narrative in the second innings, scoring his first Test half-century since December 2023, as he and Sarfaraz Khan formed a combination that took India back into the game again.
Kohli needed 53 runs to reach the 9,000-run mark in Test cricket when he began his innings. After scoring 50 off 70 balls, including five fours and a stunning six down the ground off Ajaz Patel, he dug in and took nine more balls to reach 9,000.
He is the 18th player to reach 9,000 Test match runs and one of three active members of the club, the other two being Joe Root and Steven Smith. He is also the fourth Indian cricketer to attain the milestone, behind Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar.
Indian Batsmen to Reach 9000 Test Runs
- Sachin Tendulkar – 15,921
- Rahul Dravid – 13,265
- Sunil Gavaskar – 10,122
- Virat Kohli – 9,017
In terms of innings, Kohli is the sixth-slowest player to achieve 9,000. He has taken 197 innings to reach this milestone. The record for the slowest 9000 test runs is shared by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Steve Waugh. Kumar Sangakkara is the quickest player to reach 9,000 runs, having accomplished this feat in 172 innings, two fewer than second-placed Smith and Dravid. Kohli is also the slowest Indian player in the 9,000-run group, trailing Dravid (174 innings), Tendulkar (179 innings), and Gavaskar (192 innings).
Kohli’s next target on the all-time run-scoring record is to accomplish 10,000 runs in test cricket and by doing so he’ll surpass some legends in the game. He still needs 1,100 runs to climb another slot on India’s run-scorers list, trailing Sunil Gavaskar in third place. With two more Tests against New Zealand following a five-Test series in Australia beginning in November, Kohli has an obvious chance to become the third-highest run scorer for India in Tests.
Also Read: New Zealand Tour of India, 2024
