The IS Bindra PCA International Stadium was packed Friday with 4,000 fans watching Virat Kohli become the 12th Indian cricketer to play 100 Test matches while playing the first of two Test matches of the India Sri Lanka series. While the fans were enthralled by Kohli’s 76-ball knock of 45 runs, Rishabh Pant’s breezy knock of 96 runs off 97 balls too made the fans cheer with joy. The day started with Indian coach Rahul Dravid presenting Kohli with a special cap marking Kohli’s historic 100th Test match. His wife, Anushka Sharma, and his elder brother were present in the stadium and watched the ceremony from Box Enclosure 2. As Dravid presented the cap to Kohli, he said, “Virat, I am sure when you started out as a kid, you wanted to play one test match for India. You stand here today on the cusp of your 100th test match.” Kohli has joined the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma by completing 100 Test matches. “My family members, my coach from childhood, all are very proud. I would also like to thank all of my teammates,” said Kohli, who also completed 8,000 runs in his Test career later in the day. While his childhood coach, Raj Kumar Sharma, could not attend the match as he was with the Delhi Ranji team in Guwahati, Sharma sent his wishes for Kohli. “What more can a coach ask but to see his students go on to play 100 Test matches for India. Whatever Virat has achieved is due to his hard work and passion. I am in Guwahati with the Delhi Ranji team but I was watching the presentation ceremony on TV. I wish he plays his 150th and 200th Test matches for India; I will be there to watch,” said Sharma while talking with The Indian Express. As Kohli came into bat after the fall off Mayank Agrawal in the 19th over, the fans cheered with chants like ‘Chiku, Chiku’ and “King Kohli”. The most vociferous chants came from the South Pavillion Terrace. “We had come to watch Virat play his 100th Test match and we are glad that we got to witness this historic Test match. From seeing him wave from the team bus early in the morning to watching him receive the special cap and later playing a knock of 45 runs made our day. It was disappointing that he missed a chance to score a hundred but we are hopeful that he will score a century in the second innings in case India bats,” said a seven-year-old Reyansh Thakkar, who was accompanied by his parents and younger brother Riyarth.
