India batter Virat Kohli’s return to his iconic rhythm has sparked speculation about whether he would be able to breach Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries. Putting forward his opinion on the matter, ex-cricketer Sunil Gavaskar showed faith in the 34-year-old, referring to his swashbuckling form in recent times.
According to the former batter, Kohli can comfortably achieve the feat if he continues playing for five-six years more. While speaking in an interview with India Today, Gavaskar said that achieving the record would not be a difficult task for Kohli thanks to his commendable fitness level.
On Sunday, Kohli notched up his 74th career hundred during the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium, Kerala. He remained unbeaten on 166 runs off 110 deliveries, registering his second century in the series. Looking at his recent innings, Kohli has crossed the 100-run barrier three times in his last four appearances.
Kohli has scored 4 international centuries during the course of the last six months. He is just 3 centuries behind equalling Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI hundreds. However, the former India skipper requires 26 centuries more to claim the world record of 100 centuries.
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Gavaskar explained, “In case he plays 5 or 6 years, he will get to 100. There’s no doubt about it. His average is about 6-6 hundreds a year. So if that happens, then surely he can add another 26 hundreds in the next 5-6 years, if he plays till 40.”
Moreover, Gavaskar lauded Kohli for his constant focus on fitness. As stated by him, the veteran batter is still the fastest runner between the wickets in the Indian team. “You could say that when MS Dhoni was around, he was only as quick, if not quicker. Kohli easily defeats the youngsters at this age today. He is a real champion at converting one into a two and a two into a three,” he stated.
In the end, Gavaskar highlighted the love and passion Kohli has for cricket. He thinks that Kohli won’t have any trouble continuing to play international cricket for another six years. For the former batter, a player’s passion for the sport motivates them to go above and beyond. “Your love for the game keeps you going and it keeps you playing for one or two years longer than you should,” Gavaskar noted.
Virat Kohli will look to continue his exceptional run in the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on 18 January. However, he has been rested in the T20I series against the Kiwis.
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