Virat Kohli gears up to play his 100th Test match against Sri Lanka in Mohali, joining an illustrious list of cricketers from the country who have achieved the feat.

A total of 11 players from India have previously played a century of Test matches: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Ishant Sharma and Sunil Gavaskar.

We take a look at how the specialist batters fared in their first 99 games, and where Kohli ranks amongst the greats.

Virat Kohli

99 Tests, 168 innings, 7,962 runs @ 50.39, 100s: 27, 50s: 28

Kohli’s conversion rate arguably remains the statistical highlight in a Test career defined by consistency against the best bowlers in the world. He has made the third-most hundreds by a cricketer from India after their first 99 games and averages over 50 against Australia and South Africa. His average has nosedived in recent times; after 84 Tests, Kohli averaged 54.97.

Sachin Tendulkar

99 Tests, 159 innings, 8,351 runs @ 57.99, 100s: 30, 50s: 33

The Master Blaster had a whopping average of nearing 58 across his first 99 Tests. Averaged nearing 73 in England, and close to 50 in New Zealand Tendulkar made 16 hundreds away from home in this duration at an average of 53.77.

Rahul Dravid

99 Tests, 167 innings, 8,492 runs @ 58.16, 100s: 22, 50s: 41

The current India head coach faced more than 20,000 deliveries by this point in his career, a period in which he averaged over 58. Dravid also scored 22 of his 36 hundreds, with his 100th Test coming against England in Mumbai in 2006. The No.3 scored a hundred in every country that he played in before his 100th game, including making eight hundreds in India and three each in England and Pakistan.

Sourav Ganguly

99 Tests, 161 innings, 6,346 runs @ 43.17, 100s: 15, 50s: 30

Ganguly remains the only left-hander to play over 100 Tests for India. The current BCCI President played his 100th game at the MCG in 2007.

VVS Laxman

99 Tests, 163 innings, 6,313 runs @ 45.41, 100s: 13, 50s: 36

It was almost poetic that Laxman played his 100th Test against Australia, in 2008, against whom he averaged 56.21 across his first 99 matches, his highest among all opponents. He relished touring the country too and averaged 54.05 Down Under. The fact that he averaged over 45 in only two other countries [India and West Indies] in this duration, indicates how he loved taking them on. Laxman scored a total of 17 hundreds in his career, with the first 13 coming in his first 99 games.

Virender Sehwag

99 Tests, 172 innings, 8,448 runs @ 50.84, 100s: 23, 50s: 32

The opener batted with a strike rate of 82.45 in his first 99 Test matches and set the platform for his team match-after-match. In wins, his average shot up to 56.90, which increased to 59.69 in draws. The Delhi cricketer was fearless against the new ball, attacking the bowlers from the get-go. His 100th Test was against England in 2012, and he was to play only four more games after that in the format.

Sunil Gavaskar

99 Tests, 174 innings, 8,394 runs @ 52.46, 100s: 30, 50s: 36

The opener played his 100th match against Pakistan in 1984. He averaged a remarkable 70.20 in the West Indies against one of the most fearsome bowling attacks of all time. He was also the first India cricketer to play 100 Tests.

Dilip Vengsarkar

99 Tests, 159 innings, 6,331 runs @ 46.21, 100s: 17, 50s: 31

One of the most underrated Indian Test match cricketers, Vengsarkar’s claim to fame is scoring three hundreds in the first three Tests that he played at Lord’s. He was only the second specialist batter to play 100 Tests for India.