Virat Kohli Surpasses MS Dhoni as India’s 2nd Most Capped Player
Virat Kohli Surpasses MS Dhoni to Become India’s Second-Most Capped International Cricketer
Virat Kohli’s historic achievement came when he crossed over the cap of M S Dhoni garnering the second position among India’s most capped international cricketers in the presence of the first Test match between India and New Zealand held at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru. Kohli took part in his 536th international match and eclipsed Dhoni’s mark of 535 sealing him in the record margin. The only player who still is ahead of him in the most caps as an international cricketer in India is Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record at the rate of 664 match appearances.
Kohli has scored a staggering 27041 runs in his career and has scored 80 tons in all formats of the game. His enjoyably high-scoring and ever-last performances have earned him a right to be referred to as one of the modern game greats. Currently, among active Indian players, Rohit Sharma is the second most capped player with 486 matches, followed by Ravindra Jadeja with 346 caps. As such, the accolade is yet another advancement for Kohli, reinforcing him as a historic contributor in the Indian sport.
Nonetheless, the latest test he played, against New Zealand, did not bring any joy to him, as he was out of the crease without a single run during India’s first innings. Kohli’s troubles at the No.3 Test batsman position continued with his batting average at that position at 16.16 after 7 innings. The highest score registered during this span has been 41 years indicating a downward spiral in form for the old basics in the test format.
In the first test match, India won the toss with Rohit Sharma, the captain, choosing to bat first. There were two alterations in the team as Sarfaraz Khan came in to replace the unfit Shubman Gill who had a neck strain. Akash Deep, the fast bowler was replaced in the lineup by Kuldeep Yadav who became the third spinner. Despite this, the whole day’s play on the first day was completely washed out because of heavy continuous rainfall, which left both sides keen to make an impression on Day 2.
Tom Latham’s New Zealand had the right balance with players like Devon Conway, Will Young, and Tim Southee among others. The Kiwis were eager to continue from where they left off in their previous encounters with the men in blue upon the onset of the series. This is a three-test series and pruned to end in the second and third test matches at Pune from 24th to 28th October and Mumbai from 1st to 5th November respectively.
With Kohli’s recent achievement, he draws one’s attention to the importance of peaking at such heights in a sport that admires age and stability. Past legends such as Sachin Tendulkar have been referred to as the ‘godfather of cricket’ and indeed as Kohli continues to strive for more records; the youthful cricketer is on the verge of becoming one such heroic figure. The audience gets an opportunity to ‘watch live cricket for free’ on Winexch as they follow up with Kohli and the Indian team as they look to win games against New Zealand in this series of Tests.
Kohli’s playing career has been not confined only to personal achievements but also to important winning moments for India in all formats. It is bound to be very challenging for him, and the team that is preparing for key matches ahead expects a lot from him. The achievements of Kohli’s neighboring batting margins are records for able Indian players, and they come when the team is struggling to beat New Zealand.
The transition in Indian cricket is brought into perspective with players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, and others being brought into the squad. The first test has been the foundation for a fascinating series where they shall likely flip the momentum if only the Indian team manages to shake of the early rust and Kohli comes back to form.
For cricket lovers, Winexch gives an opportunity to explore the aspects of ‘watch live cricket for free’ and other current events. Kohli’s attempt to break Dhoni’s record is certainly not the first target in his career, yet during this age it speaks of true Indian cricket development and its insatiable craving for success.
FAQ
- What records did Virat Kohli break in the 1st Test match against New Zealand?
Virat Kohli put in more games than MS Dhoni to accommodate for the second-most international player in the annals of India’s records with 536 games.
- How did Virat Kohli perform in the first test match with New Zealand?
Kohli was out for a ‘duck’ in the first innings further extending his miseries at the number three position in the Tests.
- Which cricketer has played the highest number of international matches, for India?
Sachin Tendulkar is the one Indian cricketer who has participated in 664 international games so far.
- What was the composition of Indian squad for the first Test match against New Zealand?
Sarfaraz Khan replaced injured Shubman Gill (neck stiffness) while Akash Deep was replaced by Kuldeep Yadav who was the third spinner.
- Give the dates and venues for the remaining Tests of the India vs New Zealand series?
The second Test match will take place in Pune from October 24-28 and then the third Test match will take place in Mumbai from November 1-5.