Virat Kohli climbs ‘The Wall’, creates new record in Boxing Day Test vs Australia

Is there any record that Virat Kohli has not broken in cricket? The answer is both yes and no. Yes, he has shattered plenty of records in 2018. No, one does not know which record he could break in the coming matches. The list of records accumulated by the Indian captain has been so huge in 2018 that one has indeed lost count. In the Boxing Day Test against Australia on day 2, Kohli missed out on a century but yet created history. On 82, Kohli looked to turn the tables on the Australian pacers by attacking but he ended up upper-cutting a short ball from Mitchell Starc to be caught at the third man fence.

However, Kohli soon created another record when he overtook Rahul Dravid’s record of being the most successful Indian batsmen overseas during a calendar year. Dravid smashed 1137 runs at an average of 68 in the 2002 season. It was a year in which Dravid hit four consecutive centuries and he played a vital part in India’s successful tour of England. In the series against England, he hit 115, 148 and 217 in Trent Bridge, Leeds and The Oval respectively as India ended the series 1-1. Following the England tour, he hit a century in Mumbai against West Indies as he ended the year with an average of 66.

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Kohli, on the other hand, has enjoyed a fabulous year. He hit 153 against South Africa in Centurion and had a fabulous tour of England, smashing 593 runs and scoring 149 and 103 in Edgbaston and Trent Bridge respectively. The Indian skipper equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record when he hit his sixth century Down Under when he hit 123 in the Perth Test against Australia. His 1138 runs at an average of 54 is testament to his greatness but he still has one more chance to create a new world record.

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The right-handed batsman requires another 75 runs to break Graeme Smith’s record of most runs by any player overseas in a calendar year. Smith amassed 1212 runs in the 2008 season with a top score of 232 against Bangladesh. It was a glorious year for Smith and South Africa as he led them to series wins in England after 43 years and in Australia for the first time.

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The year 2018 has been sensational for Virat Kohli in all formats. In Tests, he will end the year as the leading run-getter, managing over 1300 runs. In ODIs, he has smashed 1202 at a staggering average of 160. With one more innings left in the year, Kohli has a chance to end on the ultimate high.