Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar talked about the high standards star batter Virat Kohli has set due to his consistency which makes his scores of 60s and 70s look underwhelming to his fans.
Speaking to Star Sports, Gavaskar said that people’s view of Virat’s form is just like how they view tennis legends Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafael Nadal when they fail to win a Grand Slam tournament and end their run in the semifinals.
“It is like I said in commentary that Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Rafa Nadal are title winners. If they lose in the semi-finals, people say, ‘Oh, they’re not in form.’ Anybody else getting into the semi-finals would say, ‘Oh, what a wonderful performance.’ Similarly, with Virat Kohli, because everybody is so used to him scoring so many hundreds quite regularly when he does not score 100, even if he is getting 70-80–which a lot of guys will be very happy to get–people say, ‘Look, he’s not scoring runs.’ And that is the reason why there was that feeling.”
Virat broke his Test century drought of over 500 days and showcased his class in his favourite Australian conditions, slamming a return-to-form century against the Aussies at Perth’s Optus Stadium, tiring out the Aussies mentally and physically to set the tone for a 295-run win.
“But then again, Indian fans, they are greedy fans. They are not going to be happy with their idol scoring only 60-70s. They want their icons, their idols, to score hundreds, and that is the reason there was this little talk about, ‘Oh, he has not got a hundred since July 2023.’ July 2023 is just about a year ago,” Gavaskar added.
Gavaskar also opened up about Virat’s batting stance in the second innings, saying that the batter looked completely “relaxed”.
“In the first innings, because of the fact that India had lost two wickets early, he would have also been under pressure. In that second innings, you could sense that apart from changing that stance, I think he also got his legs, which were maybe just a little bit wider at the start. Just a little bit–maybe I am thinking too much, but that little thing might have given him that height he wanted. Well, in Australia, on the bouncier pitches, you need that edge,” he told Star Sports.
During the match, Virat scored an unbeaten 100 in 143 balls, with eight fours and two sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 69.93. After scoring the century, Virat had a sigh of relief as he raised his bat above his head.
Now, Virat has scored his 81st international century and continues his chase for idol Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries. This is also his 30th Test century. Now in 119 matches, Virat has scored 9,145 runs at an average of 48.13, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties. His best score is 254*.
Also, with 54 List-A centuries, nine T20 centuries and 37 first-class centuries, Virat has completed 100 centuries in professional cricket.
Virat has also become the seventh player to complete 2,000 runs in Border-Gavaskar Trophy history. In 26 BGT matches, he has scored 2,147 centuries at an average of 48.79, with nine centuries and five fifties. His best score is 186.
This is Virat’s seventh Test century in Australia, the most by an Indian batter as he has now overtaken Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored six Test tons in Australia. He has also equalled England’s Wally Hammond for second-most centuries in Tests in Australia. The most Test centuries in Australia are by England’s Jack Hobbs, with nine tons.
In Tests in Australia, Virat has scored 1,457 runs at an average of 56.03, with seven centuries and four fifties. His best score is 169.
This is Virat’s 12th international century in Australia, the most by any batter. He has scored 3,531 runs in 43 matches and 55 innings at an average of 56.95 in Australia, with 12 centuries and 19 fifties and a best score of 169.
He has levelled with Sunil Gavaskar (seven centuries against the West Indies) for most Test hundreds in an away country for India.
He has also equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s tally of nine centuries against Australia for joint third-most centuries in Tests against an opponent for India. The most Test hundreds against an opponent for India is by Sunil Gavaskar, who has 13 centuries against the West Indies.
In 35 Tests since the start of 2020, Virat has scored 1,943 runs at an average of 32.93, with three centuries and nine fifties. His best score is 186 in this phase.