'KING IS BACK': Virat Kohli slams elusive 71st international ton after more than 3 years, fans can't keep calm

Kohli fans had been waiting for this moment for more than 3 years with his last ton coming in a Test match in November of 2019. That was in a Test match vs Bangladesh. Since then, Virat has struggled for the big scores while he scored some 70s and 80s.

Source: Twitter

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli completed his maiden T20I hundred in Team India's last match of Asia Cup 2022 in Dubai on Thursday night (September 8). Kohli opened the innings, in absence of regular opener Rohit Sharma, and once settled, started playing his shots. He then took to finish at . This is his first 100 in T20Is. And most importantly, his first international hundred in more than 3 years. His fans had been waiting for this moment for more than 3 years with his last ton coming in a Test match in November of 2019. That was in a Test match vs Bangladesh. Since then, Virat has struggled for the big scores while he scored some 70s and 80s. 

Take a look at how fans reacted as Kohli smashed his 71st international ton that was hugely awaited.

Awesome SAUsome __ #ViratKohli

— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) September 8, 2022

Virat Kohli's International Hundreds

Tests - 27
ODIs - 43
T20Is - 1

15 against Australia
13 against Sri Lanka
11 against West Indies
8 against England/New Zealand
7 against South Africa
5 against Bangladesh
2 against Pakistan
1 against Afghanistan/Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/5pBNTEw16V

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) September 8, 2022

#Kohli 71st century ___

3 years, millions of fans, many heart breaks

Finally Inner peace attained __ pic.twitter.com/9XIGyGLyIC

— Sai (@SamanthaFreak_) September 8, 2022

#ViratKohli_ 71st century ___

3 years, millions of fans, many heart breaks

But finally Inner peace attained __#Kohli #indvsafghanistan #IndianCricketTeam #INDvsAFG pic.twitter.com/FLon3R7mex

— Ishaan Bansal (@ishaanbansal19) September 8, 2022

King KOHLI!! Unbelievable 122* He's surely back! #Kohli

— Souro Mukherjee (@mukherjee_souro) September 8, 2022

@imVkohli dancing again! What a lovely sight

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) September 8, 2022

Not to forget, His unbeaten 122 is the best score by an Indian batter in the T20Is. Kohli's best friend and former RCB teammate AB de Villiers tweeted that Virat Kohli is dancing again. He said that he spoke to Kohli yesterday and he felt that something was brewing. The next day, Kohli has smashed a hundred. After completing the hundred, Virat kissed the wedding ring he wears as a locket and raised his bat.

This raise of the bat happened after more than 3 years and Virat himself was shocked that this shackle-breaking hundred has come in T20s. His unbeaten 122 came off just 61 balls and included 12 fours and 6 sixes each. He played this knock at a strike rate of 200. This Virat's best score in T20s. His previous best was 113 off 50 balls vs Punjab Kings in Bengaluru in 2016. Speaking to Sanjay Manjrekar after the innings, Kohli dedicated the knock to his wife Anushka Sharma, who he said, stood by him through the difficult phase in his cricket career.