Nagpur Test: Virat Kohli slams record breaking double-century

Nagpur: Virat Kohli authenticates the adjective 'run-machine' every time he comes to the crease with a team India cap on his head and a willow in his hand. Doing the same once again, the Indian team captain slammed a record-breaking double-hundred against Sri Lanka at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium here on Sunday.

En route to his 19^th hundred and 5^th double-hundred in Tests, Kohli left the legendary Sunil Gavaskar behind in the list of most number of hundreds while captaining the Indian side. It is his 12^th ton as skipper in the longest format of the game. Gavaskar had 11 centuries to his credit while being the captain of the Indian side.

Kohli got out trying to accelerate the scoring rate at the individual score of 213 runs off just 267 deliveries and laced his inning with 17 impeccable fours and 2 gorgeous sixes.

The double century helped Kohli equal the record of West Indies great Brian Lara who had smashed five double-tons while captaining his side. Kohli slammed his maiden double century only in 2016 against West Indies in Antigua. Since then, he has been converting at a great rate.

Here is the list of captains with most number of double centuries:

• Virat Kohli: 5
• Brian Lara: 5
• Donald Bradman: 4
• Graeme Smith: 4
• Michael Clarke: 4

Here is the lost of Indian captains with most number of centuries:

• Virat Kohli: 12
• Sunil Gavaskar: 11
• Mohammad Azharuddin: 9
• Sachin Tendulkar: 7
• MS Dhoni/Sourav Ganguly/Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi: 5
• Rahul Dravid: 4

Kohli had equaled the record long-held by Gavaskar in the previous Test against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens when he slammed a second-inning hundred to bring his team into a dominating position, which was under pressure because of the first inning batting collapse. Kohli had scored a duck in the first inning. He also became the first Indian captain ever to score a duck and a century in the same Test.

Also Read: Nagpur Test: Ton-up Kohli drives India to 404/3 at lunch on Day 3

He, however, still has to go a long way to surpass the legends of the game, as when it comes to the worldwide list, he stands on the 13^th place.

• Graeme Smith: 25
• Ricky Ponting: 19
• Allan Border: 15
• Steve Waugh: 15
• Don Bradman: 14
• Michael Clarke: 14
• Mahela Jayawardene: 14
• Brian Lara: 14
• Clive Lloyd: 14
• Greg Chappell: 13
• Steve Smith: 13
• Alastair Cook: 12
• Virat Kohli: 12

In all formats, Kohli has 22 international hundreds as skipper in 99 innings, behind South African legend Graeme Smith (41 in 368 innings) and Aussie great Ricky Ponting (41 in 376 innings). This was Kohli's 51^st hundred in international Cricket.

With this century, Kohli has also become the first captain ever to score 10 tons across all formats in a calendar year. Kohli has surpassed Ponting (9 in 2005 and 2006) and Graeme Smith (9 in 2005) to set this new milestone.

Also Read: Virat Kohli is half-way to the top; slams 50th International ton

Kohli has achieved another astonishing record with his double century. He has a great 75 per cent conversion rate whenever he goes beyond the 50-run mark in Test Cricket. Out of 16 50-plus scores, he has 12 centuries under his belt. This conversion rate is better than even the Aussie great Sir Donald Bradman.

With the help of his flamboyant double century, India has managed a mammoth lead of 379 runs with 5 wickets still in hand and a very dangerous Rohit Sharma (82 off 142) batting at the crease.