Former Indian batter Dinesh Karthik has showered praise on Virat Kohli after India won the opening ODI against South Africa at the JSCA International Sports Complex, Ranchi, by 17 runs on Sunday. Kohli scored a match-winning knock of 135 runs off just 120 balls as he batted at the top of his game. This was the 52nd ODI century for Virat Kohli as he went on to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most centuries in a single format.
The veteran batter was able to hit the ground running after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed cheaply by Nandre Burger. Karthik said Kohli has nothing to prove as he has achieved everything there is in the record books.
Dinesh Karthik said in a video on Instagram, “Virat Kohli has nothing, nothing to prove to any of us. I mean what more can you say about a player who has just turned run scoring into an art form. His 83rd international hundred today, 52nd in ODI cricket alone, that’s a record in itself. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most number of 100s in a single format. With this 100, he once again shows why he is the defining athlete of this generation.”
“The discipline, the hunger, the unrelenting passion towards fitness and that you could see today. The way he stepped out and played paces, his nimble footwork against spin but most importantly, the way he converted ones into twos and the speed at which he ran, the agility,” he added.
Karthik is hopeful that Kohli will be able to win the ODI World Cup in 2027 and keep his good show going.
“Every innings that he bats is a lesson, another reminder that we are actually witnessing a once-in-a-generation athlete. Virat Kohli doesn’t chase greatness anymore, I feel. He actually sets the standard for what it means to be a legend in this sport. And today, he’s just added another chapter to his great legacy and that just continues to keep going. May he soar higher and make sure in 2027, he lifts that cup once again. Good luck.”
The second ODI between India and South Africa will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur on Wednesday.
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