India didn't get the start they wanted on Day 3 of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia at Perth on Sunday, but skipper Virat Kohli gave fans a reason to celebrate by completing his 25th century in the traditional format of the game.
Kohli, who was on 82 form 181 balls overnight, hit a four off Mitchell Starc in the 81st over to bring up his century. He took 214 balls and was laced with 11 fours. He thus became the fastest Indian and second overall to hit 25 Test centuries, after legendary Donald Bradman.
He took 127 innings to reach the landmark. Bradman, who played only 52 matches, took just 68 innings to reach the mark and it's almost impossible to better that record.
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Batting Sachin Tendulkar took 130 innings, while legendary Sunil Gavaskar achieved the landmark in 138th. Former Aussie opener Matthew Hayden completes the top-five, reaching it in 139th innings.
Of the active players who is likely to reach the mark in fewer innings is Aussie Steve Smith, who is serving a ban for his role in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa early this year. He has 23 hundreds in 117 innings.
The 30-year-old has now six centuries against the Aussies in Test.
India resumed from their overnight score of 172/3 with Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten on 82 and 51 runs respectively. But Rahane lasted only two runs in the morning, getting out off the fourth delivery of the 70th over, caught behind off Nathan Lyon.
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This was the eighth time Lyon has dismissed Rahane in Test. In the first Test, which India won by 31 runs, Cheteshwar Pujara became the first Indian batsman to dismiss eight times by Lyon. Another batsman dismissed eight times by Lyon is former England opener, Alastair Cook.
Kohli and Rahane's fourth-wicket stand produced 91 runs.
After 83 overs, India were 214/4 with Kohli and Hanuma Vihari unbeaten 105 and 18 runs respectively. India were still 112 runs behind Australia.
India's reply to Australia's first innings total of 326 started in disastrous fashion, losing both the openers inside the sixth over with only eight runs on the board.
