'It's Ridiculous..,' Anil Kumble On Virat Kohli's Century Vs South Africa

image-lomc9h6bVirat Kohli scored a gritty ton on a difficult wicket 

Legendary Indian cricketer Anil Kumble recently praised Virat Kohli for his exceptional career achievements in One Day Internationals (ODIs). On his 35th birthday on Sunday, November 5, Kohli marked the occasion by matching Sachin Tendulkar's record for the most centuries in ODIs.


Anil Kumble celebrates Virat Kohli's ODI milestone

In the World Cup 2023 match against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Kohli notched his 49th ODI century. His unbeaten 101-run knock, consisting of 121 balls and featuring 10 boundaries, was a significant contribution to India's performance.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Kumble lauded Kohli's incredible ODI career. He highlighted Kohli's impressive average of nearly 60 runs per innings and a strike rate over 90. The Indian veteran noted Kohli's evident passion and stamina, as seen in his ability to bat for almost the entire 50 overs of the match.

“It’s been a fantastic career so far for Virat Kohli and getting almost 60 runs per innings in ODIs is ridiculous. He is playing at a 90 plus strike rate and going strong and you could see that the hunger was there as he batted almost the entire 50 overs,” said Kumble.

The legendary spinner further pointed out the challenging conditions Kohli faced during his innings, including an inconsistent pitch and a ball that was difficult to play. Despite these challenges and the early pressure due to a variable surface, Kohli's performance was crucial for the Indian team.

“He was still running in the way we have seen him do. But he played a fantastic innings, which was very important for India. He had the cushion of the great start from Rohit Sharma, but he had to soak in the pressure. It was not an easy surface early on when the pitch was up and down, slower and the ball was stopping and coming,” added the 53-year-old.

Meanwhile, India's victory in this match marked their eighth win in the tournament, maintaining their status as the only unbeaten team. This win also ensured their position at the top of the tournament standings. India's next and final league match will be against the Netherlands on Sunday, November 12 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.