Virat Kohli etched his name permanently in cricket history on Sunday, scoring his 50th Test century at Trent Bridge in Nottingham to become the first Asian batter to achieve the milestone and only the third player ever after Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting. Kohli, 36, played a masterful innings of 138 not out as India chased a 280-run target in the final session of the fourth day, single-handedly steering the team to a remarkable victory. The packed stadium gave him a standing ovation that lasted nearly three minutes.
BCCI President Roger Binny called it the greatest individual achievement in Indian cricket history. Prime Minister Modi tweeted his congratulations, calling Kohli an inspiration to a billion hearts. Kohli, speaking after the match, said the feeling is impossible to describe and dedicated the century to his family and all Indian fans. He becomes just the 12th batter in history to score 50 or more Test centuries, joining an elite pantheon of the sport greatest players.