Ex-India Stars Back Virat Kohli To Break Sachin Tendulkar's Big 100 Centuries Record

Star India batter Virat Kohli once again showcased his immense talent on Sunday night in Thiruvananthapuram, smashing a memorable century against West Indies in the first ODI. Chasing 296, Kohli stitched together a valuable partnership with skipper Shubman Gill, who also scored 101, and guided India to victory with eight wickets in hand and 8.2 overs to spare. Kohli played a magnificent knock of 139 off just 88 balls and brought up his record-extending 55th ODI century. Looking at his overall numbers, Kohli now has 86 international centuries and needs 14 more to equal the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record of 100 international hundreds.

Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane hailed Kohli's performance, stating that whenever he plays with a bit of pressure on his mind, he brings out the beast within and delivers exceptional knocks.

"I think when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that's when he is at his best. In every innings, he has done that. He has those expectations of himself. That's why he has been able to do it consistently for so many years. Knowing Virat, if he thinks about 100 centuries, there is nothing wrong with it, because his role model has been Sachin Tendulkar. So, I am sure he must be thinking about it," said Rahane on Cricbuzz.

Meanwhile, former wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik urged fans to cherish every moment Kohli spends on the field, continuing to produce remarkable performances for India.

"I think we should really enjoy it till he is around. He told us that he is going to be there until the end of the World Cup. His last batting, so to speak, in international cricket was on July 19th and now it's September 27. Does it feel like a man who has not touched a bat in two months? He just came out there so confident, comfortable, authoritative and dominating right from the get-go," Karthik said.

"To get a hundred at a strike rate of 157 is quite astounding in ODIs. I know it was a flat pitch. We were talking about how it could be chased down in 40-42 overs, which is exactly what India did. Most importantly, Virat Kohli is feeling the rhythm. That's the most important word for somebody like Virat Kohli because of how sporadically he is playing and if he is finding that rhythm, then there is no better player in this world," he added.

The second ODI between India and West Indies will be played on Wednesday, September 30 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati.

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