India's stalwart Virat Kohli has surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, becoming the fastest player to reach 27,000 international runs.
Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), September 30: India's star batter Virat Kohli made history by becoming the fastest player to reach 27,000 international runs on Day 4 of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
He broke the record previously held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, achieving this milestone in a sunny Kanpur on Monday with remarkable finesse.
Kohli accomplished the feat in just 594 innings, which is 29 innings fewer than Tendulkar, who reached 27,000 international runs in 623 innings. Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara achieved the mark in 648 innings, while Australia's Ricky Ponting did so in 650 innings.
Kohli, known for his effortless drives and impressive stroke play, seemed poised for a longer innings. However, his attempt to play across the line resulted in his dismissal. A delivery from Shakib Al Hasan kept low and slipped through the gap between Kohli's bat and pad. After reaching the significant milestone, Kohli was out for 47 runs off 35 balls.
He now has 27,012 international runs, making him the fastest player in cricket history to achieve this total.
After rain washed out more than two days of play, India displayed aggressive intent following their bowling out of Bangladesh for 233 runs.
The spectators in Kanpur were treated to a flurry of boundaries, initiated by Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Rohit Sharma. Their rapid partnership of 55 runs came in just 3.5 overs before spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz dismissed Rohit for a brisk 23 runs off 11 balls, which included one four and three sixes.
During Rohit's dismissal, the duo maintained a staggering scoring rate of 14.34 runs per over, setting the record for the highest scoring rate in a Test partnership of at least 50 runs, surpassing the previous record held by England's Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett, who scored 87 runs in 44 balls against the West Indies at Edgbaston earlier this year at a rate of 11.86 runs per over.
Even after Rohit's exit, Shubman Gill's steady approach allowed Jaiswal to be more aggressive, helping India reach the 100-run mark in just 10.1 overs, breaking the team's previous record of 12.2 overs set against the West Indies last year.