Virat Kohli could play his 100th Test match at Mohali against Sri Lanka but fans will not be allowed into the PCA stadium due to coronavirus cases.
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Virat Kohli is currently not playing the ongoing Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka. The former India skipper, who has undergone a tough time in the last couple of years, had a torrid time in the ODI series against West Indies. Having averaged just 8.26 in the three matches, Kohli roared back to a semblance of his best with two fifties in the T20Is against the West Indies. Having taken a break from the Sri Lanka T20Is, Virat Kohli will now be determined to produce his absolute best in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka.
Kohli could be playing his 100th Test at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. This will be a grand occasion as Virat Kohli joins Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, and Virender Sehwag as the other Indians to have played 100 Tests. But, there is bad news in store for the Indian cricket fans who are anticipating brilliance from Virat Kohli.
According to a report in PTI, there will be no fans present at the PCA stadium due to the coronavirus situation. Chandigarh is seeing close to 100-150 cases on a daily basis. PCA Treasurer RP Singla confirmed the news on Saturday. “Apart from the people who are on duty for the Test match, we are not allowing any general spectators as per the directive of BCCI. Still, there are fresh COVID cases emerging in and around Mohali, so it’s better we take all safety protocols. Obviously, the fans miss out because an international match at Mohali is happening after almost three years,” Singla said.
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However, the lack of fans at the stadium has not deterred the PCA from trying to organize a felicitation function. Billboards have sprung up all over the stadium highlighting the brilliance of Virat Kohli in the last 14 years. Singla added, “We will be putting up big billboards and our PCA Apex Council has also decided to felicitate Virat. We will either do it at the start of the game or at the end depending on BCCI directive.”
The two-Test series against Sri Lanka represents the best chance for Virat Kohli to break his century drought. He last hit a century in the Pink Ball Test against Bangladesh in November 2019 in Kolkata. Since that period, he has failed to hit a century in any format or the IPL. His average in Tests in the last two years has dipped to below 30. However, his ODI and T20I average is over or close to 50. Cricket fans would be hoping that the century drought is not prolonged.
