Only three tons behind Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record of 49 ODI centuries, Virat Kohli has been in resurgent form since the Asia Cup last year. The former India captain ended his three-year drought for a century in ODI cricket in the Asia Cup last year, and also hit two tons in the recently three-match series vs Sri Lanka, collecting upto 46 hundreds in the format. He is now only three centuries behind Sachin Tendulkar's all-time record of 49 ODI tons.
With the World Cup coming up this year, focus will be on the 34-year-old, who will be his side's star batter, having already won the tournament's 2011 edition. In ODIs, Kohli has hammered 12,773 runs at an average of 57.79. Speaking on Star Sports, former India player Sanjay Manjrekar labelled Kohli as a 'pure one-day player' and 'right up there' with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni.
"When you look at the modern era, in the last 20 years or so, Virat Kohli is right up there. Tendulkar also one of the time all-time greats. Virat Kohli, in my book just fits in as a pure one-day player. MS Dhoni is another player that comes to my mind", he said.
"But, all-time one-day batter, there is nobody who can get close to Sir Vivian Richards. Now this might seem a little old-fashioned. Viv Richards played from 70s to 90s in a time when all top-class batters, people like Gordon Greenidge averaged about 30 and strike rate in the 60s. Viv Richards, from 70s to 90s, including a World Cup final hundred, averaged 47 and a strike rate of 90. The second-best in his era was second-best by a long way.
{{/usCountry}}"But, all-time one-day batter, there is nobody who can get close to Sir Vivian Richards. Now this might seem a little old-fashioned. Viv Richards played from 70s to 90s in a time when all top-class batters, people like Gordon Greenidge averaged about 30 and strike rate in the 60s. Viv Richards, from 70s to 90s, including a World Cup final hundred, averaged 47 and a strike rate of 90. The second-best in his era was second-best by a long way.
{{/usCountry}}"And that's how you compare all-time greats, that's the best way to do it. But, in the modern era, when it comes to Virat Kohli, certainly right up there", he further added. But Manjrekar also feels that it is not an easy job to compare players from the past when talking about all-time greats in ODIs.
"One-dayers...Viv Richards, have the time and take a look at his numbers and compare with the current lot and also with the lot that he played with. When you talk about match-winning innings, there were plenty. Virat Kohli, in the modern era, right up there. All time, absolutely no doubt in my mind about Sir Viv", he said. Kohli is currently with the Indian team for their three-match home ODI series vs New Zealand. The host grabbed a series-clinching 2-0 victory on Saturday in Raipur.