Virat Kohli Retires from Test Cricket, Tendulkar’s Century Record Likely to Stand Unchallenged

New Delhi, May 12 – With the retirement of Virat Kohli from Test cricket on Monday, the cricketing world witnesses the closing of a chapter that once promised to challenge the greatest record in international cricket – Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international centuries.

Tendulkar, who remains the only player to score a century of centuries, had once named two potential successors to his monumental feat: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Ironically, within the span of a week, both stalwarts have stepped away from the Test format.

Kohli Still 18 Centuries Away​

Kohli ends his Test career with 30 centuries in 123 matches. While he has a staggering 51 ODI centuries and a single ton in T20 Internationals, he remains 18 short of Tendulkar’s record. With just ODIs left to play, and with speculation that he may only continue for another couple of years, the path to surpassing Tendulkar appears increasingly implausible.

Adding to the challenge is the dwindling relevance of the 50-over format. With T20 leagues dominating the global cricket landscape, opportunities to score big hundreds in ODIs are limited. India is scheduled to play just 27 more ODIs before the 2027 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. That includes a three-match series against Bangladesh later this year.

Tendulkar’s Record Looks Unbreakable​

Tendulkar’s illustrious tally comprises 51 centuries in 200 Tests and 49 in 463 ODIs. Kohli, by comparison, has 82 international hundreds across formats. While still second on the all-time list, the gap between the two now seems insurmountable.

Rohit Sharma, who also recently retired from Tests, has amassed 49 international centuries – 12 in Tests, 32 in ODIs, and 5 in T20s.

Following Kohli in the list of most international hundreds are legends like Ricky Ponting (71), Kumar Sangakkara (63), Jacques Kallis (62), Hashim Amla (55), and Mahela Jayawardene (54). Among active players, England’s Joe Root (53), Australia’s Steve Smith (48), and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (48) are also nearing the twilight of their careers, making it unlikely that Tendulkar’s record will be surpassed anytime soon.

A Legacy Secured​

As Kohli steps back from the longest format of the game, the cricketing fraternity is left reflecting on an era that came close, but ultimately fell short, of rewriting history. For now, and perhaps forever, Sachin Tendulkar’s record stands tall – a towering monument in the annals of cricket.