Virat Kohli Smashes 53rd ODI Ton, Inches Closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s All-Time Record
Virat Kohli delivered yet another masterclass on Wednesday, smashing his 53rd ODI century during the 2nd match against South Africa in Raipur. The star Indian batter brought up the milestone in just 90 balls, marking his second consecutive century of the series after his 135-run knock in Ranchi.
At 37 years old, Kohli continues to defy age and critics alike, extending his record as the player with the most ODI centuries. This latest ton also takes his tally to 84 international centuries, inching him one step closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s all-time record of 100 international hundreds (51 in Tests, 49 in ODIs).
This century marks the 11th time Kohli has hit back-to-back tons in ODIs — the most by any player in the history of the format, reaffirming his exceptional consistency.
With this performance, Kohli has also moved closer to reclaiming the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings, now just 32 rating points behind Rohit Sharma. Kohli last held the No.1 position in April 2021 before being overtaken by Pakistan’s Babar Azam.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma has further consolidated his position at the top of the rankings, followed by Daryl Mitchell and Ibrahim Zadran. Kohli now sits at No. 4, pushing teammate Shubman Gill down the list.
India celebrated more ranking boosts as well — left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav climbed one spot to reach sixth place among ODI bowlers. The latest tri-series in Pakistan also introduced changes in the T20I all-rounder rankings.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
