Virat Kohli’s 52nd one-day international hundred has drawn a lot of praise from the sundry quarters, with Sunil Gavaskar asserting that no one can challenge Kohli for the title of the greatest one-day batter of all time. India achieved the landmark during their 17-run win over South Africa at Ranchi on November 30.
Gavaskar Declares Kohli the Unquestionable ODI King
Gavaskar expressed that the record of Virat Kohli is so powerful that it shuts down any kind of debate. To prove his point, he remarked that those players who have faced Kohli and are in doubt, think of him as the best in the format. Gavaskar emphasized the act of scoring 52 ODI hundreds as a feat that only very few can be termed “legends”.
In addition, he mentioned that Ricky Ponting was a big fan of Kohli and an Australian’s admiration was a “rare” thing. Basically, it means that Gavaskar is saying that because Ponting was a tough opponent, his endorsement of Kohli is even more significant.
Kohli Breaks Tendulkar Record of Most Hundreds in Single Format
The former India captain was emphatic in his support of Kohli when the latter broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 51 hundreds in a single format. He admits that Tests and ODIs are different, but still argued that the achievement speaks of the greatness of Kohli. Gavaskar said crossing the iconic number of Tendulkar is exactly how “you know where you stand” in cricket history.
Kohli’s century gave India the upper hand in the series. India are going to play South Africa at Raipur on December 3 and at Visakhapatnam on December 6.
Author’s Take
It is hard to see why Gavaskar’s support would be uncalled for. Moreover, to name a few of his remarkable qualities, Kohli’s consistency, hunger, and longevity make his ODI legacy unmatched. Surpassing Tendulkar is a sure way to be one of the cricketing greats.
