BAN vs IND: 3 takeaways from Virat Kohli's 44th ODI hundredΒ
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli brought up his 44th century in ODI cricket against Bangladesh in the third ODI of the series. He scored 113 runs off 91 deliveries, hitting 11 fours and 2 sixes during his stay at the crease.
India won the game comfortably by 227 runs. Ishan Kishan scored a belligerent double hundred, becoming only the 4th Indian to do so. His partnership of 290 runs with Kohli set up the base for India to cross 400 runs in the first innings.
Let's take a look at three takeaways from Kohli's superlative batting performance.
#1 Monkey off the back
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Kohli's 72nd International Century in 60 seconds π₯
#BANvIND @imVkohli #SonySportsNetwork #KingKohli https://t.co/0lfg6z1CDE
Virat Kohli, one of the greatest ODI batsmen of all time, had not scored a hundred since August 2019. Although he scored half-centuries consistently until the South Africa tour, he failed to reach the three figure mark.
Virat Kohli hit a new low in the format this year. He failed to cross 20 runs in eight consecutive innings against West Indies, England and Bangladesh. It was a steep decline for a player who used to score hundreds for fun in the 50-over format.
The batting stalwart admitted to having mental health issues. He even took a one-month break after the England tour. Since the Asia Cup, he seems to have rediscovered that calmness when he's batting out there in the middle. Indian fans will hope he is back to his best come the ODI World Cup next year.
#2 Got through the initial jitters successfully
This knock was not the most fluent one would expect. He was dropped by Litton Das early in the innings and looked a bit circumspect against the spinners. However, Kishan's free-flowing innings allowed him to settle down and find his feet. He made sure not to throw his wicket away this time around.
Kohli brought up his half-century in 54 balls. This speaks volumes of how form is temporary while class is permanent. He then accelerated in the second half of his innings. He brought up the hundred in just 85 deliveries against a respectable Bangladesh bowling unit.
India are scheduled to play three ODIs each against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia in the upcoming home season. This will be the perfect time for Kohli to get some much-needed game time in the format. Playing three- match series sporadically post-COVID did not help his case that much.
#3 A calming presence for Ishan Kishan
Virat Kohli has been there for Ishan Kishan's milestones π€
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Youngsters have often talked about how much they love batting with the former captain. His presence allows the younger players to play their natural game. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya have acknowledged this fact several times.
After the innings, Kishan said that he asked Kohli for guidance during the match. He wanted to keep being reminded to take singles on a regular basis. This was to ensure that he didn't throw his wicket away and made the most of his start.
The 34-year-old brings in a wealth of experience when he is at the non-striker's end. He can tell his partner how to face a particular type of bowler because he has played so much cricket in different conditions across the globe.