Virat Kohli smashes 76th international hundred in his 500th match, surpasses Sachin Tendulkar in elite list

Indian batsman Virat Kohli achieved his 29th Test century during the second Test match against West Indies at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad on Friday.

Kohli reached his 76th international century with an elegant cover drive against Shannon Gabriel, sending the ball racing to the boundary.

In a remarkable feat, Virat Kohli has surpassed both Sachin Tendulkar and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting in scoring the highest number of centuries in his 500th match. Kohli's exceptional performance has earned him a total of 76 centuries, surpassing Tendulkar's record of 75 and Ponting's record of 68. Notably, Jacques Kallis also holds an impressive record with 60 centuries to his name.

Playing in his 500th international match, the right-handed batsman had a slow start on Day 1, relying on his defensive skills to counter a disciplined West Indies bowling attack that quickly took four wickets, putting India on the back foot.

However, in the final session, Kohli shifted gears and found a reliable partner in Ravindra Jadeja. Together, they reached a score of 87 by the end of the first day, taking advantage of some lackluster fielding from their opponents and scoring quick singles and doubles.

This century marked Kohli's first overseas Test hundred since 2018. Additionally, the 34-year-old surpassed Jacques Kallis to claim the fifth position for the highest number of runs in international cricket during his impressive innings.

India had a strong start after being put into bat, with openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiwal forming a century partnership. However, West Indies fought back in the second session, only for Kohli to revive the Indian innings with his exceptional performance.

READ| Virat Kohli creates history, becomes 2nd Indian batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to achieve remarkable feat