Virat Kohli stamped his authority on Day 3 of the 1st Test against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, scoring his 31st Test half-century and surpassing the 9000-run milestone. Achieving this feat during India’s second innings, Kohli reached 53 runs in the 42nd over, becoming only the fourth Indian batter to cross the 9000-run mark, joining legends Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar. However, it took him 197 innings, making him the slowest among this elite group. This half-century is also Kohli’s first 50-plus score in Tests this year, silencing doubts about his form when it mattered most.
