Bengaluru, Oct 19: Batting maestro Virat Kohli became the fourth Indian to cross 9000 runs in Test cricket, scaling another peak in a glorious career during the third day of the opening match against New Zealand here on Friday.Kohli joined an august company featuring Sachin Tendulkar (15921), Rahul Dravid (13265) and Sunil Gavaskar (10122).
However, he is the slowest among them to reach this landmark, having taken 197 innings.
The 35-year-old Kohli reached the mark after crossing his half-century in India’s second-innings.
Batting at No. 3, Kohli fell for a nine-ball duck in the first innings as India were all out for 46.
In the recent Test series against Bangladesh, Kohli became the quickest batter to complete 27,000 international runs in only 594 innings.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah became the highest wicket-taker in Tests for the 2024 calendar during day three of the first Test match against New Zealand on Friday.
He reached the record by dismissing Tom Blundell (5), who tried to defend but the ball hit the top end of the bat and went straight to KL Rahul in second slip.
This was his 39th wicket in the red-ball format this year and it took him 15 innings to get to this record.
Meanwhile, Despite Rachin Ravindraâs sensational century swelling New Zealandâs lead to 356 runs, Virat Kohliâs gritty 70, alongside Sarfaraz Khanâs steady support, nearly saved India from a deeper collapse and they lived to fight another day against New Zealand here on Friday. At stumps on the third day, India finished at 231 for three, still trailing the visiting team by 125 runs. The burly Sarfaraz was batting on 70 (78b, 7×4, 3×6).
However, in a match of shifting fortunes, Kohli was dismissed off the last ball of the day, as Glenn Phillips managed to induce a faint edge leaving a bittersweet finish for the Indian side in what was an enthralling day of cricket at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Resuming the day from 180 for three, New Zealand lost wickets regularly in the initial hour to raise visions of a collapse.
Daryl Mitchell was tested by the Indian quicks who didnât let him settle in the morning session. After struggling to score, he got off the mark with a soft edge which ran past the slips for a boundary in Mohammed Sirajâs over. And just the ball after, he tried to play a backfoot punch but ended up getting a thick edge which went straight to Yashasvi Jaiswal at gully.
Rachin, who was at the crease, was calm when the pacers were using the morning conditions. But when the pitch settled down, he displayed one of the finest knocks, especially against the formidable Indian spin attack.