Former India captain and maverick batter, Virat Kohli recorded his 73rd international and 45th ODI century on January 10 (Tuesday) in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati. The attractive right-handed batter reached the three-figure mark in just 80 deliveries before Kasun Rajitha finally dismissed Kohli (113 runs off 87 balls) in the 49th over. The 34-year-old smashed 12 fours and one sixes in his fantastic knock. This was Kohli's second hundred on the trot in ODIs after he scored 113 runs off 91 balls.
Sri Lanka had a couple of chances to cut short Kohli's knock and prevent the champion batter from registering his 73rd international chances but a lack of discipline in the field cost the Islanders dearly. Wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis dropped Kohli at 52 while captain Dasun Shanaka failed to complete a regulation take when the Indian batter was on 81.
Kohli, who now has a staggering 73 international hundreds, is second behind Indian great Sachin Tendulkar, who ended his career with a mindboggling 100 international centuries. Kohli now has 27 Test hundreds, 45 ODI tons and one century in T20Is.
Riding on Kohli's masterful century, India posted a daunting total of 373/7 in 50 overs after Sri Lanka elected to bowl after winning the toss.
India's Playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
Sri Lanka's Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka