IND vs AUS 2023: The drought’s over, gates have opened: Mark Waugh on Virat Kohli’s 186 at Ahmedabad

Former Australian opener Mark Waugh showered praise on Virat Kohli after India’s star batter scored a brilliant knock of 186 runs in the first innings of the fourth Test match at Ahmedabad. Kohli scored a Test century after a long gap of 1205 days as he had last reached the three-digit mark in November 2019 in the pink-ball Test match against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

The talisman showed all the patience at Ahmedabad as he was tested by the Australian bowlers. Kohli was also beaten a couple of times in the early phase of his innings but he showed all the resistance after settling at the crease.

In fact, Kohli was looking in good touch in the first three Test matches but he could not convert his starts into substantial scores. Kohli had scored 44 runs in the first at Delhi but failed to make it big.

“The drought’s over. The gates have opened,” former Australian batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.

“You could tell right from the get-go he meant business. He played very few risky shots. He was so patient, just picked the bowling off,” he added.

Waugh feels Kohli is still isn’t at his absolute best in Test cricket despite scoring a big hundred against Australia.

“I don’t think he’s at his pure best at the moment, as far as his Test career is concerned but it just shows you his class.”

Kohli finally broke his century drought and Waugh expressed his surprise that the talisman went so many days without scoring a hundred.

“I cannot believe a player of his class has gone that long without a hundred. He’s a world-class player and I feel like a hundred is just around the corner for him,” said Waugh.

Virat Kohli must have been relieved after scoring his 28th Test century. Kohli will now be seen in action in the first ODI against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Friday.