Virat Kohli can break Sachin’s ODI centuries record, says his former coach
Virat Kohli has been in scintillating form for quite some time now. The current Indian captain was named the ICC Cricketer of the Year along with the ICC ODI and Test cricketer of the year, taking home all the three major honours owing to another stellar year in international cricket. While there might be a debate about the best Test cricketer, Kohli is head and shoulders above everyone else in the 50-over format of the game.
He has 39 ODI centuries to his name from 214 innings and is just 11 centuries away from breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI centuries - the most by any batsman ever.
With the kind of form Kohli is in, Munish Bali, the assistant coach of India's U-19 World Cup winning team of 2008, has backed him to break Sachin's record and rewrite history. Bali has followed Kohli from close quarters ever since he took footsteps on the cricket field and is full of praise for the 30-year old.
Speaking to the Times of India, Bali said "The way he is going, he can break Tendulkar's ODI centuries record. One thing I would say about Virat is he has changed the face of cricket. He is as aggressive as he was in his early days. With his fitness level, hunger for runs and hunger to win, Virat has taken cricket to another level. He grabbed all the opportunities he got with both hands. He scored runs when his team needed them. He is a god gifted talent and he realised it and worked on it.”
Bali also praised Kohli for his exceptional fitness standards by saying "There's a huge difference from 2008 to now. The transformation in terms of fitness is huge. I knew Virat will represent the Indian senior team someday. The way he took fitness to another level is commendable. He is the one who has set the fitness standards for other members in the team.”