Virat Kohli will achieve a momentous milestone on July 20, when India face West India at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago for the second Test of the series. He will become only the fourth Indian cricketer and the 10th player worldwide to reach the remarkable mark of 500 international appearances. 

In the esteemed company of cricketing legends, Kohli joins the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record for the most appearances with an incredible 664 matches, as well as former captain MS Dhoni (538) and the current coach Rahul Dravid (509).

With a staggering total of 75 centuries in his combined international career, Kohli firmly secures the second position, surpassing Ricky Ponting’s tally of 71 centuries. Yet, he remains behind the legendary Tendulkar, who holds an illustrious record of 100 international centuries.

Dravid, the head coach of the Indian team, expressed his admiration for Kohli’s incredible numbers and statistics, highlighting the impact he has on the players in the team and aspiring cricketers across India.

“It’s nice to see Virat’s journey. When I first played, he was a youngster coming through. I was not really involved in the team as such. I watched him from the outside with a lot of admiration for what he has done and what he continues to achieve,” PTI quoted Dravid as saying.

The former captain emphasised the importance of hard work, discipline, and adaptability in Kohli’s journey. Dravid noted that the 34-year-old’s success is a result of the sacrifices he has made throughout his career and his willingness to continue striving for excellence.

“I didn’t know that this is his 500th game. For me, what has been great is to see the efforts and the work that he puts in behind the scenes when no one is watching. And that’s great for a coach because a lot of young players will look at that and get inspired,” Dravid added.

(With PTI inputs)

Updated: 20 Jul 2023, 01:51 PM IST