Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has noted that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are enjoying each other’s cricket. Pathan highlighted that both veteran batters are relishing each other’s success in the 50-over version.
While Rohit scored 202 runs in three ODIs against Australia, Kohli scored 74 runs in the third ODI against the hosts after two consecutive ducks.
Meanwhile, Rohit and Kohli added 136 runs in the opening ODI against South Africa at Ranchi. While Rohit scored 57 runs, Kohli scored a match-winning knock of 135 runs off just 120 balls. Soon after, Kohli completed his hundred, the delight was seen on Rohit Sharma’s face in the dressing room.
Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “India’s two big guns, Virat and Rohit, are in terrific form. So they’ll be expected to deliver the goods in the decider and win India the series. But the thing I am noticing most with both is I have never seen them enjoying each other’s cricket more. It’s not that they didn’t before, but now it feels like there is a purpose to it. And that’s exactly what they’ve in mind for the 2027 World Cup.”
“When Rohit Sharma scored a century and the way Virat Kohli was celebrating it, it was visible how much Kohli enjoyed it. Likewise, when Virat Kohli scored his century in the first ODI, the way Rohit Sharma in the dressing room was excited and waiting in anticipation showed he was celebrating his partner’s success so much. This is also great for Indian cricket.”
On the other hand, Pathan showered praise on Virat Kohli for his sublime form. Kohli has scored two back-to-back centuries and Pathan backed the veteran batter to complete his hat-trick of hundreds in the third ODI.
“Can Virat Kohli score a hat-trick of centuries? Hattricks are not for everyone. It’s difficult to achieve that but Virat Kohli is capable of doing it. He’s in that kind of form and mindset and he’s also extremely hungry. There was a time when Virat Kohli was carrying Test cricket on his shoulders. Now he’s doing the same with ODI cricket. The crowds we see in ODI cricket is commendable,” said Pathan (via the aforementioned source).
“Yet as a commentator, T20 has spoilt everyone so much that if you ask a commentator what they enjoy most, they’ll say T20. ODI cricket is very long but it went unnoticed in these two ODIs with full houses and people came to see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. But because of this, Virat Kohli’s responsibility is also more. Yet I believe even with this responsibility, Kohli will complete his third consecutive century.”
The third and final ODI between India and South Africa will be played at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, on Saturday.
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