Australia vs India 2018: 5 best individual performances from the Test series

Virat Kohli - 123 (257), 1st innings, Perth

The teams were welcomed to Perth’s new stadium with all the eyes on the 22 yards and if it will match the pace and bounce of the old WACA. When the pitch was shown for the first time, the fans couldn’t find the difference between the outfield and the actual playing area.

It was expected to seam, swing and bounce and that was a gamble taken by Australia after being 1-0 down in the series. The home side won the toss and decided to bat despite the live grass on the surface because it was expected to crumble later in the Test. They managed a more than competitive score in the first innings to put pressure on Kohli’s men.

In walked the Indian captain at 8-2 and immediately makes his intentions very clear. The ball was doing all sorts of things but he walks out and smashes three boundaries of one Hazlewood over which sent the crowd frenzy. The authority with which he scored boundaries even off good balls ensured why he was cut above the rest in the modern generation.

Kohli drove, cut, flicked and pulled to all parts of the ground to bring up his 25th Test hundred and by doing so in his 127th innings, became the second fastest only after Sir Don Bradman.

We have seen the run machine churn out hundreds for fun across all formats but this ton in bowler-friendly conditions has to be right up there with his best.