Ahead of the start of the India-Sri Lanka Test series, head coach Rahul Dravid congratulated Virat Kohli for playing his 100th Test match on Friday morning (March 4).
After the Indian team managed by Rohit Sharma won the coin toss and opted to strike first, at IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, Dravid presented Kohli with his special cap ahead of his historic white-out for the national team. Dravid said: “When you started as a kid you must have wanted to play a test for India, you’re standing here on the cusp of your 100th. It’s a testament to all that is great about our sport…sweat , discipline, courage, skill, determination, desire, focus, you had it all. You have had a great journey. You can be very proud not only of playing the 100th Test match, but also of the great journey you have traveled.”
“Congratulations to you and your family on this fantastic achievement. Well deserved, well deserved…hopefully this is just the start of many more important things to come and as they say in the locker room, ‘double it'”, a- he added.
Here is the video of the congratulation shared by the BCCI Twitter account:
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Kohli, who also had the presence of his wife Anushka Sharma on the pitch, acknowledged BCCI, Team India, his family’s support, childhood coach and said, “Thank you, Rahul bhai, it’s a special moment for me. My wife is here with me, my brother is here in the stands. It’s a team game and the trip wouldn’t have been possible without you guys. Thanks to BCCI too. I n couldn’t have received it from a better person, my childhood hero. have this picture with you from my U-15 days.”
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Kohli became the 12th Indian to enter the 100 test club, joining Sachin Tendulkar, Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma.
In 99 Test, Virat amassed 7,962 runs at an average of over 50, with 27 hundreds and 28 halfs. He also has the most double tons by a test captain (7) and led India superbly in white before stepping down from his post at the start of this year.
