In a cricketing milestone that sent ripples of excitement throughout India and the cricketing world, Virat Kohli, one of India’s top batters, achieved his 49th One-Day International (ODI) century on November 5. This remarkable accomplishment saw Kohli equalling the iconic record set by his former teammate and cricketing legend, Sachin Tendulkar.
A Humble Tribute to His Hero
As the cricketing world celebrated Kohli’s extraordinary feat, he showed his humility by acknowledging that he would “never be as good” as Sachin Tendulkar, whom he holds in the highest regard, considering him a true “hero”. In the post-match presentation, Kohli expressed his emotions, stating, “To equal my hero’s record is a huge honor. I will never be as good as him; he is my hero. It is such an emotional moment for me”.
The Historic Innings
Virat Kohli reached a big milestone during the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 match against South Africa. The match happened at the famous Eden Gardens in Kolkata. His performance in this match was amazing. He scored 101 runs without getting out, and he hit 10 fantastic fours.
Tendulkar’s Hope for Kohli
Sachin Tendulkar, also known as the ‘Master Blaster,’ praised Kohli for his achievement and wished that Kohli would soon break his record. Tendulkar shared a message on the social media platform X, saying, “I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations!!”. He jokingly mentioned, “It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year”, referring to himself turning 50 in April.
Well played Virat.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 5, 2023
It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days.
Congratulations!!#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/PVe4iXfGFk
What makes Kohli’s accomplishment even more impressive is how quickly he got there. Kohli reached 49 ODI centuries in only 277 innings, which is faster than Tendulkar, who took 451 innings to reach the same milestone.
Kohli’s ODI Career
On his 35th birthday, Virat Kohli, a cricketing star, played in 289 ODI matches, scoring a total of 13,626 runs with an impressive average of 58. However, he’s still behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a massive 18,426 runs during a career that spanned over two decades.
Let’s celebrate this remarkable achievement by showing our support and admiration for Virat Kohli as he gets closer to becoming the top century-maker in ODI cricket. His journey is truly inspiring, and we eagerly await the day he surpasses his hero, Sachin Tendulkar.
