IND v SL: Virat Kohli Attends Nets Session In Mohali As He Preps For His 100th Test For India

Ace India batter Virat Kohli arrived in Mohali for the first Test between India and Sri Lanka which begins at the IS Bindra, Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium from March 4 onwards. Other players who are not part of the ongoing T20I series, but will play in the two-Test series, have arrived in Mohali for preparations.

The Mohali Test will be important for Virat Kohli and special as well, as it will be his 100^th Test for the Indian team. Having made his Test debut in 2011, Virat Kohli has become one of the most elite batters of his time, averaging over 50 in all three formats of international cricket.

Thus far, Kohli has 7962 runs in 99 Tests with 27 centuries, an average of 50.39, and the best score of 254*. He was supposed to play his 100^th Test in South Africa on their recent tour. Although he played the 1st Test in Centurion (98th), the batter skipped the 2nd Test in Johannesburg due to back spasms. He was back in the 3rd Test in Cape Town, his 99th.

Virat Kohli Does Light Training And Bats In The Nets; Has Fun With India Teammates

The right-handed batter is set to become the 12th player from Team India to play 100 or more Test matches. Thus far, he is at par with former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin who played 99 Tests, with his last one coming against South Africa in 2000.

Unfortunately, there will be no crowd in the Mohali Stadium to enjoy and cheer for Kohli when he walks out in the middle on March 4, as the match will be played behind closed doors. The PCA has put up hoardings for Kohli’s milestone Test along the approach roads to the stadium though fans will not be able to see the batsman in action.

“It was BCCI’s directive to let the match take place behind closed doors due to the pandemic and also due to the less time at hand. We were to organise a T20 and the second Test earlier, but then the schedule changed,” said Punjab Cricket Association CEO, Deepak Sharma.

Meanwhile, Kohli attended some light practice and training and batted in nets for 30 minutes or so. Before that, as the former skipper emerged from the dressing room to go to the practice nets, teammates Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami, Jayant Yadav, and Ravichandran Ashwin formed a huddle around him.

Here are some photos and videos of Kohli practicing in Mohali:

Virat Kohli & Umesh Yadav in today's practice sessions in Mohali. pic.twitter.com/5qBfnynDZJ

— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) February 27, 2022

Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli at IS Bindra PCA Stadium, on Sunday. He joined the other team members, ahead of the India-Sri Lanka Test match scheduled to start from March 4, here. @thetribunechd pic.twitter.com/TSkYmA3rpe

— Deepankar Sharda (@Deepankar4444) February 27, 2022

Virat Kohli in practice session today in Mohali. pic.twitter.com/WPNovoTZms

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 27, 2022

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