On Day 3 of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday, September 28, senior New Zealand cricketer Kane Williamson exceeded Virat Kohli‘s Test run total. In his 102nd Test, Williamson has now scored 8,881 runs. Kohli, who is playing in his 115th Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur, has a total of 8,871 runs.
Williamson’s success however doesn’t give New Zealand any respite as they look likely to suffer a heavy loss in the second Test match against Sri Lanka. Chasing the hosts’ huge first-innings score of 602-5, the Kiwis went to the third day with a score of 22-2.
They were dismissed for 88 runs off 39.5 overs as Prabath Jayasuriya was the pick of the bowlers registering 6-42. After being asked to follow on, the tourists ended the day with the bat in hand at 199 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their second innings.
In New Zealand’s first innings, Williamson was caught at slip for 7 after edging a flighted delivery from Jayasuriya. In the second innings, he scored 46 before being caught at long-on off Nishan Peiris while on the other end, he looked solid. However, upon reaching the score of 37, the right-handed batsman went past Kohli’s 8871 Test runs tally.
Virat Kohli – 8871 test runs
Kane Williamson – 8881 test runsThey played U19 world cup in 2008. What a journey for both of them.
— Vinay Vashistha (@VinayVashistha1) September 28, 2024
Tom Latham tried to get off to a steady start but was unfortunately sent back to the dugout after he was clean-bowled by off-spinner Peiris without scoring. Nonetheless, the experienced Devon Conway (61) and Williamson settled well and added 97 runs for the second wicket helping the Kiwis recover from an early loss.
However, the set batters could not kick on and make big scores, Rachin Ravindra (12) and Daryl Mitchell (1) also went cheaply. By the end of Day 3 in Galle Rayyan Ashan was on 47 and Phillips Glenn was on 32.
How Williamson and Kohli have performed in the current World Test Championship
As a result, Williamson and Kohli are prominent players along with their Test rosters. In their average performances within this ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) Cycle, Williamson has played 16 innings scoring cumulatively in 757 runs with an average of 50.46 while hitting four centuries and two fifties.
In their February home series against South Africa, he scored three out of his four hundred, the last one being in Bangladesh.
Early stumps on day 3, due to rain. 🌧️
Match will start 9:45AM tomorrow. 🏏#SLvNZ pic.twitter.com/iQgNwNoTTW
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) September 28, 2024
Conversely, Kohli has accumulated 392 runs in eight innings, averaging 49, including one century and two fifties. His sole hundred in the current WTC cycle was against the West Indies in Port of Spain, while he also recorded half-centuries in Roseau and Centurion.
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