Virat Kohli might not be the same batter that he was till a few years ago. The runs have dried up, the cover drives don’t come thick and fast, and his batting no longer exudes the same confidence and inevitability. Yet he is always on the hunt for setting new records. 

Kohli now needs just 77 runs to join a rare list of cricketers who boast over 4000 runs at home in Test cricket. He may achieve this feat in the ongoing fourth and final Test against Australia in Ahmedabad. In the second Test of the series, Kohli scored 44 and followed up with 20 to become the fastest batter to reach 25000 runs in Test cricket.

Kohli has played 48 Test matches at home, amassing 3923 runs at an average of 59.43. If not for his extended lean patch his Test average at home would have been above 50. Rohit Sharma, the current Indian captain, averages over 70 in home Tests, which is second to none.

So far only Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, and Virender Sehwag have managed to score over 4000 runs at home in Test cricket. Among them, Sachin Tendulkar (7,216) ranks first by some distance. When it comes to scoring centuries at home, Kohli comes fourth in the list, behind Tendulkar, Gavaskar, and Rahul Dravid. 

As far as the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy is concerned, Kohli looked solid on quite a few occasions, but has been unable to play substantial innings so far. The Test in Ahmedabad, where the pitch has a lot for the better, will be a good opportunity for Kohli to roar back into the form.

Australian captain Steven Smith won the toss and elected to bat first. Usman Khawaja scored another half-century in this series, while Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne are back in the pavilion. India must win this game to win the series. However, even if they lose, they are going to retain the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy.