In the first ODI played in Ranchi, Virat Kohli once again showed why his consistency and style is considered unique in international cricket. According to available information, in this match Kohli showed an excellent balance of patience, class and stroke selection as per the requirement of the match. Let us tell you that he has scored the 52nd ODI century of his career, and with this he has reached a position where till now only Sachin Tendulkar’s name was there.
It is noteworthy that Kohli has now become the first cricketer in the world to score more than 51 centuries in any one international format. This achievement has also been recorded as the 7000th century of men’s international cricket. This is the record which no one had even dared to challenge for the last two decades.
India’s innings was started by Rohit Sharma with a quick half-century. Rohit was out after scoring 57 runs, but Kohli held one end and gave stability to the innings. As soon as he started settling at the crease, his partnership with Rohit started gaining momentum. Together they made a partnership of 136 runs, which gave India a strong start and turned it towards a big score.
The historic moment came in the 38th over. Kohli brilliantly converted Marco Johnson’s ball rising outside the off stump into a four with an open face shot towards third man. The spectators present in the ground understood at that very moment that history had been made. Kohli celebrated the feat with a light jump and a punch in the air, while the Ranchi crowd gave him a standing ovation.
However, even after the century his innings did not stop. He was out for 135 when he tried to play a big shot over cover and Ricketon took a brilliant catch while running back. While leaving the field, Kohli accepted the applause of the spectators by raising his hands all around, and the entire stadium gave him a standing ovation.
Kohli not only created a new record through this match, but also proved that top level international sport is a combination of dedication, mental strength and skill. His century has been recorded as a new chapter in the history of Indian cricket.