Virat Kohli Becomes The Second Indian Batsman After Sachin Tendulkar To Score 3000 Runs In Australia

Indian captain Virat Kohli might not have been able to guide India home in the third T20 international against Australia in Sydney; however, he crossed a significant landmark. Virat Kohli became the second Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to complete 3000 international runs in Australia. Sachin Tendulkar, the former batting maestro, ended his career with 3300 international runs in Australia and Kohli 3052 runs – 1274 in Tests, 1327 in ODIs, and 451 in T20Is.

Australia scraped through to a 12-run victory in the third T20 international in Sydney after losing the first two games and surrendering the series. Australia overcame the threat of Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya to stop India from scoring 186 on a tricky pitch. It was Matthew Wade’s and Glenn Maxwell’s fifty that guided the home side to a mammoth total after Kohli put them to bat first.

India stayed well in the hunt when Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli were in the crease even as the task looked steep. It was Hardik Pandya’s dismissal in the 18th over, which turned the scales hugely in favour of Australia. And Kohli’s dismissal for 85 in the next nailed the final nail in the coffin. Shardul Thakur, who smashed two sixes in 19th and 20th over, provided a tiny scare too.

Virat Kohli also the sixth overseas batsman to cross 3000 international runs in Australia:

The 32-year old is also the sixth foreign batsman to breach past 3000 runs down under, sitting behind Sir Vivian Richards, Brian Lara, Desmond Haynes, David Gower, and Sachin Tendulkar. Viv Richards tops the list, having mustered 4529 runs in 95 fixtures in Australia. The two sides will lock horns in the four-Test series, which starts from the 17th of December in Adelaide. Unfortunately, the Indian captain will return home after the first Test to be with his wife as they are expecting the birth of their first child.

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