India is
set to take on Sri Lanka in the first of the two-match Test series in Mohali
starting Friday, when former skipper Virat Kohli will make his 100th
appearance in the format.

The mercurial
batsman will become only the 12th Indian to make 100 appearances in the
longest format of the game, joining a list of elite players led by batting
legend Sachin Tendulkar with 200 Test caps.

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Kohli can add
another feather to his illustrious cap, as he is only 38 runs away from completing
8,000 runs in Tests. He will become the sixth Indian to reach that landmark,
after Tendulkar, current head coach Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, Virender
Sehwag and VVS Laxman.

And Gavaskar
wants Kohli to mark the special occasion with his first international century since
2019, a feat which will see Kohli joining a list of elite batsmen with who have
scored a ton on their 100th Test.

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Speaking to
Star Sports after India’s 3-0 T20I whitewash against Sri Lanka, Gavaskar
showered praise on “fabulous” Test player Kohli and spoke about the “special
feeling” of playing the 100th Test.

“Well, I
can only say that it is going to be a sense of achievement. When you start
playing cricket as a school kid, you want to play for India and hoping that you
play for India for a certain while and suddenly you know, success comes to you
and then you go on from year to year and then the 100th Test comes to you. It’s
a very special feeling. And look at what he has achieved in all format of the
game, not just Test cricket, where he has been fabulous,” Gavaskar said.

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“And I hope
he celebrates his 100th Test with a 100. Not many batsmen have done that. I
know Colin Cowdrey, who was probably the first to play 100 Test matches, scored
a hundred in his 100th Test. I know Javed Miandad has done it. Alex Stewart has
down it,” he added.

Only nine
batters have scored a century on their 100th Test, with former
Australia captain Ricky Ponting being the only one to bring up three figures in
both innings. If Kohli does score a century in Mohali, he will be the first Indian
and the third from Asia – after Pakistan greats Inzamam-ul-Haq and Javed
Miandad – to achieve the feat.