Run-machine Virat Kohli marching ahead towards 50 ODI centuries

A run-freak. The easiest way to describe the consistency of Indian Captain, Virat Kohli. Nothing comes close to his ability to acclimatize to the conditions, reading the opposition and delivering on purpose. He is like a human-machine which operates at great efficiency in all climates. The strict fitness regime is his fuel and runs are the outcomes.

In the ongoing ODI series between West Indies and India, Virat Kohli unlike his 2019 World Cup campaign, has notched up two back-to-back centuries and also, has gone past former Indian captain, Sourav Ganguly's 11363 runs' tally. As a result, Kohli now holds no. 8 position in all-time highest ODI run-scorers.

As It Happened

Coming off an 11 innings long drought without scoring a century including 9 from the recently concluded ODI World Cup, it was just a matter of time for the bubble to burst. The first game of the tour was washed out due to rain, but neither the scorching heat of Port-of-Spain nor the West Indian bowling attack posed a threat to King Kohli's chariot.

The chasing master went on to register his 42nd ODI century and surpassed Sourav Ganguly in the all-time ODI run scorers' list. He is now the eighth highest run-getter with 11520 runs to his name in just 239 matches.

Kedhar Jadhav Congratulates Virat Kohli on his 43rd ODI Century; 9th against WI (Photo: BCCI)

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After scoring his 42nd hundred, the teams again met at the same venue in three days. The occasion was Universe Boss aka Christopher Henry Gayle's 301st ODI game. Thinking of his retirement match, Virat Kohli and his teammates congratulated him on the field while returning to the pavilion. Moreover, the crowd present at the stadium also honoured him with a standing ovation but, rubbing off all the retirement rumours post match, Chris Gayle is open for the selection in the upcoming series.

Coming back to the 3rd ODI, West Indies set up a 255 runs target for India in 35 overs. With Rohit Sharma back in the hut in the third over, Kohli took charge of the situation. He survived a scare when he inside-edged a flick to wicket-keeper, Shai Hope who dropped a fairly reasonable chance. He did not turn back from there and gave no more chances too. A player of Kohli's calibre is like the biggest fish in the pond - once you miss it, you would never get a chance to catch it again.

Playing cautiously in the chase and building partnerships is Kohli's trademark of taking the game away from the opposition even before they realise. A 120 run stand with Shreyas Iyer (65 off 41) and his 43rd ODI ton made sure, India hit a home run. A tough and tricky chase always looks easy when he is out there and playing his routine game.

Eventually, India pocketed the ODI series 2-0 and Virat Kohli was chosen Man-of-the-match and Man-of-the-series for his 114* runs and total 234 runs in three games.

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Records broken by Virat Kohli

1) Virat Kohli becomes the eighth highest run-scorer with 11520 runs in ODIs.

2) With 43 Centuries under his belt, Virat is just 6 short of Master-blaster's 49 centuries in ODIs.

3) Virat Kohli equalled Sachin's record of maximum hundreds against a single opposition, i.e, 9 centuries. Sachin Tendulkar scored 9 hundreds in ODIs against Australia.

4) Kohli also surpassed Ricky Ponting to score most runs in a decade. Ponting scored 18962 runs whereas Virat 20003* runs.

The mantra of Indian Captain, Virat Kohli's success is simple: Wake Up, Eat, Train, Score Hundreds, Sleep and Repeat.

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