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Pink Ball Test: Virat Kohli Becomes Fastest Captain to 5000 Test Runs, Smashes Ricky Ponting’s Record

Kohli reached the feat in his 53rd match (86th innings) as India captain.

There’s no stopping Virat Kohli and breaking records. The Indian captain registered yet another record on Friday during India’s maiden Pink Ball Test the second Test against Bangladesh as he became the fastest to reach 5000 runs in Test cricket as captain and only the sixth overall to achieve the feat.

Kohli, who was rested for the T20I series, required 32 runs to achieve the milestone before the start of the two-Test series. He put behind the record previously held by former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who took 54 matches (97 innings) to set the record. Kohli reached the feat in his 53rd match (86th innings) as India captain.

If Kohli, who has become the only Indian to breach the 5000-run mark as captain, does manage to register a century at Eden Gardens, he will overtake Ponting to occupy the second position in the list of captains with most hundreds in the longest format.

Kohli and Ponting are currently tied on 19 centuries as skipper on the list which is headed by Graeme Smith, who had hit 25 tons as South Africa captain.

Kohli remained unbeaten on 59 off 93 with his deputy Ajinkya Rahane giving him company on 23 off 22 as India reached 174/3, ahead by 68 runs, at stumps on the opening day.

Earlier, Ishant Sharma (5/22) claimed five wickets, Umesh Yadav (3/29) snapped three while Mohammed Shami (2/36) took two as the hosts bundled out Bangladesh for 106 after Mominul Haque won the toss and opted to bat.

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