IND vs PAK 2022: “His hunger and passion are unmatchable” - Rohit Sharma leads Team India’s tribute to Virat Kohli ahead of his 100th T20I
Team India captain Rohit Sharma led the side’s tribute to Virat Kohli as the latter prepares to play his 100th T20I on Sunday (August 28). Hailing his predecessor, the Hitman described Kohli’s passion and hunger as unmatchable.
When Kohli steps onto the field on Sunday for the Asia Cup 2022 clash against Pakistan in Dubai, he will become the first Indian to represent the country in 100 matches in all three formats.
In a tribute to the cricketer, his teammates hailed the 33-year-old and wished him the best for the mega occasion. In a video uploaded on Star Sports’ YouTube channel, Rohit lavished praise on Kohli and said:
“His hunger and his passion are unmatchable. Every time you see him, he comes out with a different energy. It’s definitely not easy to play 100 games for India across formats. It’s a massive achievement.
“Every time we see him, his game seems to be at a different level. I hope the Asia Cup will be no different. He’s a massive player for us and I hope he’s at his best for the team’s sake.”
Batter Suryakumar Yadav asked Kohli to be himself and enjoy the game, saying:
“It’s another milestone for you Virat bhai. I feel the way you are on the field, be the same way - electrifying. Spread as much knowledge as possible to everyone. Just be yourself and enjoy.”
According to all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli’s hunger for runs has only increased since his U-19 days. He elaborated:
“We have been playing together since the U-19 days. His dedication and hunger for runs has not changed. In fact, I feel it has increased.”
Experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar opined that Kohli’s legacy goes much beyond numbers. He stated:
“His legacy is not restricted to the number of runs he scores but also the way he approaches the game. There is a generation that wants to approach their game the way he does.”
Team India vice-captain KL Rahul applauded the former skipper for inspiring them to push the envelope. He stated:
“He’s obviously been our leader for a long time. He’s guided this young Indian team to where we are today and made us realize that we can always push the boundaries.”
Keeper-batter Rishabh Pant described Kohli’s feat as phenomenal, adding that most cricketers can only dream of having such a glorious career. He said:
“It’s amazing. As a cricketer, you all want to have a career where you can play 400-500 matches for India and win a lot of games for the team. That is the legacy of Virat bhai.”
The match against Pakistan will mark Kohli’s return to international cricket after a short break. After the series in England, he skipped the tours of the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
Virat Kohli’s incredible numbers in international cricket
Today two teams go one on one in a high octane clash of the #AsiaCup2022
Click below to watch #TeamIndia members speak about Battle Royale #INDvPAK
📽️📽️ bcci.tv/videos/5557284… #AsiaCup2022 https://t.co/aomE2U7wxN
In 99 T20Is so far, Kohli has scored 3308 runs at an average of 50.12 and a strike rate of 137.66.
He has also amassed 8074 runs in 102 Tests and 12344 runs in 262 ODIs.