Sachin Tendulkar set numerous records during his storied international career including a jaw-dropping 100 centuries at the international level – the first and only batter to do so. When Tendulkar set the record, it was thought that it will unlikely be broken in some time to come but the manner in which Virat Kohli began scoring hundreds, he became a real threat.
However, Kohli, widely regarded as one of the finest batters of his era, underwent a major slump that saw him enduring a century drought that lasted nearly three years. The batting superstar scored his 70th century during a day-nigh Test against Bangladesh in November 2019 and his next such score, across any format, then came in September 2022 during an Asia Cup match against Afghanistan.
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However, he didn’t have to wait for his 72nd century as he soon ended his wait for an ODI century as well in December last year. That milestone took him past the tally of the legendary Ricky Ponting who was the second on the list of players to have scored the most centuries in international cricket with 71 such totals.
Of Kohli’s 72 centuries, 44 have come in ODIs. So while the target of 100 tons is still ages away, he can at least realistically aim to break Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries – the most by anyone in the format so far.
And former India allrounder Sanjay Bangar thinks that Kohli can achieve the feat in 2023 itself.
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“He has done that at a breath-taking pace because to reach 44 hundreds so young in his career is a fabulous achievement,” Bangar said on Star Sports. “But for me, can he do it this season taking into account the number of games that India have – maybe 26 or 27 if they eventually end up reaching the finals, then obviously there is a realistic chance that he can touch that milestone.”
However, Bangar reckons that the road to the milestone will not be easy for Kohli who may have to take regular breaks considering he plays all three formats.
“He will have to bat out of his skin because as somebody who is playing all the formats, he will have to take regular breaks. I think the breaks will now be in the T20 format, not so much in the 50-over format. I don’t think he will touch it but he will get pretty close,” he said.
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