‘Fitness levels are a lot better than when Sachin started’: Former Australia spinner backs Kohli to break Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries

Although Virat Kohli has some catching up to do in Tests, Brad Hogg feels the India captain’s tremendous fitness is something Sachin Tendulkar did not enjoy during his career.

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg has backed Virat Kohli to break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 international centuries, considering the tremendous fitness levels of athletes in the game. Kohli, with 43 centuries is already closing in on Tendulkar’s record of 49 centuries in ODIs, and even though the India captain has some catching up to do in Tests, Hogg feels Kohli’s tremendous fitness is something Tendulkar did not enjoy during his career.

Virat Kohli is just six tons shy of Sachin Tendulkar’s 49 ODI centuries. (Getty Images)

“Of course, he (Kohli) can,” Hogg responded of being asked whether Kohli can surpass Tendulkar. “Fitness levels today are a lot better than when Sachin Tendulkar started. Plus, they get a lot of help with quality fitness trainers. They have also got a lot of physios and doctors on board. Any niggle that is starting to happen people can get on top of it straight away. Therefore, players miss less games and of course there is a lot more cricket being played these days. So yes, he can break that record.”

Hogg also looked back on the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and hailed India’s bowling attack as the best in the world. The pace battery had a significant role to play in India’s Test series win in Australia in 71 years and Hogg reckons had it not been for a poor performance with the bat, India would have beaten New Zealand earlier this year too.

“I am going to go with the start of the series between Australia and India in November 2018. The Indian bowling attack has dominated world cricket,” Hogg said on being asked which bowling attack impresses him the most.

“India’s pace attack take wickets quicker than any other team and they have played against some good teams... Australia, South Africa... they played against Bangladesh as well and a couple of other good teams. That’s why India are pretty dominant. The batsmen led them down in New Zealand but that pace attack is the best going around.”