India vs Bangladesh 2019: Virat Kohli becomes the fastest to score 5,000 runs as Test captain

What's the story?

Indian captain Virat Kohli has added one more record to his name during India's first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh, the right-handed batsman became the fastest to cross 5,000 runs as a skipper in Test cricket. Kohli achieved the feat in his 86th Test innings as a captain while the former record holder, Ricky Ponting had done so in his 97th innings.

The background

Kohli has been unstoppable in the longest form of the game ever since he took over the reins of the team. He had not scored a single double century before 2016. But, in that calendar year, the Delhi-born superstar recorded four double hundreds.

Besides, he has not let the responsibility of captaincy weigh him down and he added another feather to his cap against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens.

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The heart of the matter

Before the 22nd of November, no Indian cricketer was present in the list of the fastest batsmen to have scored 5,000 runs as Test captain. The record books featured the name of Ponting at the top, while Clive Lloyd (106 innings), Graeme Smith (110 innings), Allan Border (116 innings) and Stephen Fleming (130 innings) followed him in the list.

However, Virat now finds himself at the perch of the table having not only played fewer innings but having also played the fewest Tests as captain among those present on the list. Ponting had completed the milestone in his 54th Test match but the Indian skipper accomplished this record in his 53rd match as a captain.

What's next?

Kohli’s unbeaten half century has helped India take a 68-run lead on the first day of the historic pink ball Test. Cheteshwar Pujara had earlier become the first Indian batsman to score a fifty in a day/night Test but if Kohli continues in a similar vein on the second day, he could become the first Indian player to register a day/night Test hundred.