India's celebrated batting star Virat Kohli stands as one of the sport's all-time greats. He has not only excelled as a batter but also distinguished himself as India's most accomplished Test captain. During the recently-concluded ODI World Cup 2023, Kohli was on a run-spree as he shattered numerous records riding on some phenomenal performances which catapulted India to the summit clash.
In the tournament, Kohli played 11 matches for India and amassed a staggering 765 runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the highest number of runs scored in a single ODI World Cup edition. His remarkable performance included three centuries and six half-centuries, notably featuring a significant score in the final against Australia, though India fell short by six wickets.
Kohli's achievements in the ODI World Cup 2023 extended beyond just scoring runs. He set a new benchmark for the most centuries in the ODI format, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s previous record of 49 ODI centuries. This historic 50th century came in the semi-final against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, a milestone reached in the presence of Sachin Tendulkar himself.
Kohli, often mentioned in the same breath as the legendary Sachin Tendulkar as one of India's finest batters, has openly expressed his admiration for Tendulkar. During a conversation on the One8 Commune’s YouTube channel, Kohli shared, “Sachin Tendulkar is my favorite cricketer in the world. He’ll always be at the top for me.”
Tendulkar's illustrious career spanned 24 years, during which he set unparalleled records in both Tests and ODIs, including the highest number of matches played and runs scored. Meanwhile, Kohli, with 13,848 ODI runs, ranks third among the top run-scorers in ODIs. Yet, he is still over 4500 runs behind Tendulkar, who amassed 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs for India.
Kohli's respect for Tendulkar was visibly evident when he scored his 50th ODI century in the semi-final against New Zealand and paid homage to Tendulkar, who was present in the stands. Kohli has always maintained that comparing him to Tendulkar is unjust, emphasizing the enormous influence Tendulkar has had on him. Kohli has often stated that Tendulkar was the reason he pursued cricket, having been inspired by watching him bat.
Back in 2013, Tendulkar had predicted that Kohli would be the one to surpass his records, a statement that the 35-year-old validated with his outstanding performance in the ODI World Cup 2023. Kohli is set to return to Test cricket in a two-match series against South Africa, marking his comeback to the longer format after a six-month hiatus. He is currently 20 international centuries short of matching Tendulkar's remarkable record of 100 international centuries.
To overtake Tendulkar's tally, Kohli would need to secure five international centuries annually for the next four years, a challenging feat considering he is already 35 years old. While this task is daunting, Kohli's exceptional talent and track record suggest that he has the potential to achieve this milestone.
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