Chennai: As cricket enthusiasts turn their attention to the upcoming Test series, Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is gearing up to unlock significant milestones as he prepares for the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Kohli has set his sights on surpassing the recent successes of his peers Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson in the long format of the game.

The highly anticipated two-match Test series between India and Bangladesh is set to commence on September 19 at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The excitement will continue with the second Test, scheduled to begin on September 27 in Kanpur. This series also marks the debut Test assignment for head coach Gautam Gambhir, who will be eager to secure a series victory.

Earlier this year, Virat Kohli missed the home series against England due to the birth of his second child. Nevertheless, he has demonstrated consistent performance in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, amassing 369 runs in four matches and six innings at an impressive average of 61.50. His achievements include a century and two half-centuries, with a top score of 121.

As Kohli steps onto the field, he is on the brink of achieving a historic milestone in Test cricket. He is just 152 runs shy of reaching the illustrious 9,000-run mark, a feat that will make him the only Indian cricketer to achieve this landmark. Over his career spanning 113 Tests, Kohli has accumulated 8,848 runs in 191 innings at an average of 49.15, which includes 29 centuries and 30 fifties, with his highest score being a monumental 254. It is worth noting that Sachin Tendulkar remains India’s highest run-scorer in Tests with an astounding 15,921 runs in 200 matches.

On a broader scale, Virat Kohli is currently the fourth-highest run-getter in international cricket history. He boasts an impressive tally of 26,942 runs across 533 matches and 591 innings at an average of 53.35. His illustrious career includes 80 centuries and 140 half-centuries. Kohli needs just 58 more runs to cross the remarkable threshold of 27,000 international runs.

However, this series holds additional significance for Kohli as he seeks to overcome a challenging run of form this year. In 14 matches played in 2023, Kohli has managed to score only 296 runs at an unexpectedly low average of 19.73, with just one half-century in 15 innings. His highest score this year stands at 76.

For Rohit Sharma’s team, this series against Bangladesh sets the stage for a busy cricketing calendar. Following this series, India will host New Zealand for three Tests starting from October 16. The focus will then shift to the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia beginning on November 22.

India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh includes: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yash Dayal.