Virat Kohli has played 13 Tests in Australia, amassing over 1,300 runs and hitting six centuries. However, the innings dearest to him came in a match India lost. Kohli has described his knock of 123 in Perth during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as his finest performance in Australia. Only four Indian batters have scored centuries in a Test match at Perth—whether at the WACA or Optus Stadium—namely Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kohli himself, with each century achieved under challenging conditions.
Perth is renowned for being one of the world’s fastest and bounciest cricket venues, making life difficult for batters. Given this, it’s no surprise that Kohli holds his innings there in such high regard. While his maiden Test century at Adelaide in 2012 and his twin centuries at the same venue four years later remain standout performances, Kohli’s acknowledgment of his knock in Perth speaks volumes about the difficulty of batting on that surface. In fact, Kohli has described it as the toughest pitch he has ever batted on.
‘The toughest pitch I ever batted on’: Virat Kohli
“My best knock in Australia will definitely be my 100 at Perth. 2018-19 series that we played. I thought that was the toughest pitch that I played on in Test cricket. It was great to get a hundred on that tour,” Kohli said while answering Mohammed Siraj’s question in a video uploaded by the BCCI titled “Ask the Next One”.
Six years ago, India suffered a heavy defeat in the Test match, losing by an innings and 146 runs. However, the setback was short-lived as India bounced back to win the Melbourne Test and ultimately claimed their first-ever Test series victory in Australia. Despite struggling to find form throughout the series, barring his knock in Perth, Virat Kohli gladly embraced the team’s historic triumph.
As the series opener of a five-match affair returns to Perth, both India and Kohli will be eager to channel the same resilience, energy, and determination. Perth has long been known to intimidate batters, but Kohli has proven himself to be an exception. Across two Tests at the venue, he has scored 259 runs at an impressive average of 64.75.
Kohli’s promise at Perth was evident from his first tour of Australia. Just one match before his maiden Test century, Kohli showcased his potential and confidence at the iconic WACA. He scored 44 runs in the first innings and followed it up with 75 in the second, displaying remarkable grit and determination while many of his teammates struggled.
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