Indian batter Hanuma Vihari has backed Virat Kohli to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries in International cricket. Kohli scored his 55th ODI century and his 86th International ton when he played a brilliant knock of 139 runs off just 88 balls with the help of 10 fours and nine sixes at a strike rate of 157.95 in the first ODI against the West Indies on Sunday.
The veteran also became the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to complete 15000 ODI runs and he got to the milestone in 74 innings quicker than the Master Blaster. Vihari reckons Kohli will definitely want to break Tendulkar’s record 100 International centuries.
“Can he reach 100 hundreds? That is the biggest question. I think he will get around 25-30 matches till the World Cup. It is not an easy task. But anything is possible with Virat Kohli in this format. You can’t say it is difficult if he scores one in every two innings. If he reaches 95-96 centuries, will he continue after the World Cup for the milestone? I doubt it. He could have easily played till 10000 runs in Test cricket also, but he did not do that. I hope he gets the record. I know I am asking for too much. He’s the only man who can break it, if at all,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Vihari hailed Kohli for changing his batting approach at this stage of his career. Kohli has been batting with an aggressive template in the last one year and has reaped rewards for the same.
“In the post-match, he said he is trying to redefine his batting. At this point of time in his career, he has taken up a new challenge. He showed it in the IPL. He is showing it here again in international cricket. In the last one year, his batting has changed. You would see him hitting so many sixes in an ODI innings on very few occasions. He was hitting sixes effortlessly in this innings. He got to 50 with a six. Hundred with a six. It shows his template and mindset. He is not here for the milestones. He is showing this is the way he is going to play. With freedom, with happiness, for the love of the game. I don’t know how many more years he will play international cricket. I hope he plays,” he said.
The second ODI between India and the West Indies will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Wednesday.
