Team India's star batter Virat Kohli will reach a significant milestone when the side takes the field against New Zealand on Sunday, as it will mark his 300th ODI. Kohli will become only the seventh Indian to reach the mark, joining a list of elite India stars including batting great Sachin Tendulkar, and former captains Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, and MS Dhoni, among others, to have achieved the milestone.
As Kohli approaches his 300th ODI, his teammate and India batter KL Rahul struggled to put into words the magnitude of Kohli's impact on Indian cricket. Ahead of India’s Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand in Dubai, Rahul hailed Kohli as a towering figure in the sport and an "important senior player," who he has always admired.
“That's (300) a lot of ODI matches. Words fall short to express how good a player he has been and what a great servant of Indian cricket he has been,” Rahul said in the press conference ahead of India's final match in Group B.
"Really happy to see that he got a hundred in the last game as well, and (he is) batting really well. For a player of his calibre, it was about time that he scored that big and a match-winning century.
“It's a great place for us as a team to be in where Rohit, Shubman, and Virat's been in good form. Shreyas has played his part as well. Against England, he was striking the ball really well.”
Rahul wishing for more centuries
{{/usCountry}}“It's a great place for us as a team to be in where Rohit, Shubman, and Virat's been in good form. Shreyas has played his part as well. Against England, he was striking the ball really well.”
Rahul wishing for more centuries
{{/usCountry}}The India star also mentioned Rohit Sharma as he extended his wish for "many more" centuries from the two India senior stars, stating that the dressing room “looks up to” the duo during big matches.
“Virat, obviously, is very important part of the team. We are always looking up to Virat and Rohit to step up and score in big games, that's what they have been able to do for so many years. Hopefully, there are many more hundreds and many more games left in them,” said Rahul.
India have already qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy but the result against New Zealand will ascertain their final standing in Group A.