As India prepares to face Australia in the much-anticipated 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final at Kennington Oval in London, all eyes are once again focused on the former Indian captain, Virat Kohli. Known for his remarkable batting prowess, Kohli’s performances at the Oval have been a mixed bag. While he endured a difficult outing in 2014, where he was dismissed cheaply in both innings, he has also displayed his capabilities with more than 130 runs, including two fifties, across four innings on the same ground. As India enters the WTC final without key players like Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, Kohli holds the key to his team’s success.
Virat Kohli currently boasts an impressive tally of 8,416 runs in 108 Test matches. In the WTC final, if he manages to score 125 runs, he will surpass the legendary West Indian batsman, Sir Vivian Richards, who accumulated 8,540 Test runs during his illustrious career. Kohli has long admired Richards, making this feat even more special for him.
In addition to Richards’ record, Kohli also has an opportunity to surpass the Test run tally of former Indian opener Virender Sehwag. Sehwag’s record stands at 8,586 runs in Test cricket. To eclipse his former teammate, Kohli would need to score 171 runs in the WTC final. Achieving this feat would further cement Kohli’s legacy as one of the all-time greats of Indian cricket.
Surpassing these records will not be an easy task, especially considering the formidable Australian pace attack led by Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, coupled with the challenging English conditions and the immense pressure of a high-stakes final. However, with Kohli’s exceptional form and unwavering determination, he undoubtedly possesses the potential to overcome these obstacles and etch his name in cricketing history.