"I am sure he will" - Gautam Gambhir backs Virat Kohli to score 100 international centuries

Gautam Gambhir is confident that Virat Kohli will match Sachin Tendulkar's record of scoring 100 international centuries before retiring.

The former opener's observation came while talking about the reasons behind giving his Player of the Match award to Kohli in 2009. Chasing 316 in an ODI against Sri Lanka, Gambhir remained unbeaten on 150, while Kohli scored his maiden international century - a 114-ball 107. In a gesture that won many hearts, Gambhir invited Kohli to receive the award at the presentation ceremony.

On Friday, Gambhir recalled that he only wanted to make the moment special for the then 21-year-old Kohli. He remarked that although the right-hander will go on to score 100 centuries, he'll always remember his first one. Gambhir also added that he's "absolutely not surprised" by Kohli's achievements so far.

In an interview with presenter Jatin Sapru on his YouTube show 'Over and Out', he said:

"I didn't do anything I shouldn't have done. You might go on to score 100 international hundreds, which I am sure he will because that's the kind of player he is but you will always remember your first international hundred. I remember my first international hundred that was in Bangladesh and the first ODI hundred against Sri Lanka."

The former batter added:

"So I wanted to make it special for him and that's not something I or anyone else shouldn't have done. That's the kind of nature I have and that's the kind of player he was. And what he has done, I am absolutely not surprised with what he's achieved, and he'll go on to achieve many more things."

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Almost 13 years on, Kohli now has 70 international hundreds - the most by an Indian after Tendulkar and the third-highest overall. He has been waiting for the 71st since November 2019 and isn't currently in his best form either. But the former Indian skipper has continued to play some critical knocks across formats.

"You have to do it even if you don't want to" - Gautam Gambhir opens up on IPL spat with Virat Kohli

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Gambhir also spoke about his infamous heated exchange with Kohli during a league match in IPL 2013. The two were captains of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) respectively and ended up briefly confronting each other on the field after Kohli's dismissal.

The cricketer-turned-politician said 'competitive' captains have to keep their personal relationships aside and take some steps even if they are against their will just to lift their team. Gambhir then went on to praise Kohli's 'transformation' further, saying:

"That's OK, I am absolutely fine with it and I expect him to be like that. I am like that. I like that contest, I like people who are competitive. MS Dhoni is a competitor in his own way, Virat is a competitor in his own way. Sometimes when you are leading the side, you have to do it even if you don't want to do it because you want your team to play the way you want. As a leader, sometimes you are not thinking about personal relationships with the other guy [but] just because you are leading a team, you have to do it."

He added:

"That's why there was nothing personal [then] and there never will be personal against Virat Kohli. And I say it again and again that what he's achieved, I am absolutely not surprised. That's the kind of player he was when we saw him early but what he's transformed into, I think from a fitness point of view and the way he's worked on his skills is tremendous."

Kohli has now given up RCB's captaincy and will be in action in IPL 2022 as a pure batter. The franchise will play its first match of the season, on March 27 against Punjab Kings.