Virat Kohli surpasses Brian Lara with sixth Test double tons as captain

Virat Kohli smashed another double ton and broke few more records in the process. (Source: BCCI TV)

Virat Kohli has become a nightmare for Sri Lankan bowlers in the ongoing Test series. The Indian captain broke multitudes of records by slamming a ton on the first day of the third Test at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi. On the second day, he broke a few more by scoring his sixth double century.

After reaching the milestone, Virat Kohli became the first captain to score six double tons in Test cricket. He has also become the first player to score six double centuries in just a span of 17 months. He also became the second Indian to score back-to-back double centuries, only after Vinod Kambli. Apart from him, the only other cricketers who have scored back-to-back double Test tons are Wally Hammond, Don Bradman, Kambli, Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke.

With a score of 237*, Kohli also became the highest individual run scorer at the stadium in New Delhi. New Zealand’s Bert Sutcliffe held the previous record of scoring 230 in the stadium before.

Kohli has now tied with Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar for Indians scoring most double centuries in Tests. Only Mahela Jayawardene (7), Hammond (7), Brian Lara (9), Sangakkara (11) and Bradman (12) have scored more from other countries.

Kohli also became the first player to score three 200s in two consecutive calendar years. The 29-year old started this year with a double ton against Bangladesh and is also ending it with a double century.

Not only Indian skipper breaking records at a fast pace, he has also done it at an impressive strike rate. It took the batsman just 228 deliveries to reach the milestone. The right-hand batsman struck 23 boundaries and scored at a strike rate of approximately 87.

What will be worrisome for Lankan bowlers is that they have still not a found a way to get him out. The longer Kohli remains in the middle, the more he will continue to take the game- and the series- away from the visitors.