Dinesh Karthik shuts down the King debate once and for all after contrasting results for Virat Kohli and Babar Azam

Former Team India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik heaped praise on Virat Kohli for his match-winning century against Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Dinesh Karthik described Kohli as the "king" and "emperor" of the game, highlighting his consistency in ODI cricket over the decade.

Virat Kohli played a crucial role in India’s six-wicket victory over Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, February 23.

This was his 51st ODI century and his fourth in the format against Pakistan. Across all formats, it was his 82nd international century, behind Sachin Tendulkar, who holds the record with 100 centuries.

Most Cricketers Will Bow Down and Respect What He Has Done - Dinesh Karthik

In a video shared by the ICC on Instagram, Dinesh Karthik said that Virat Kohli earned immense respect from cricketers with his batting performances.

Karthik stated that reaching 14,000 ODI runs 65 innings faster than Sachin Tendulkar shows his consistent performances over a decade.

"He's the king, he's the emperor. I think most cricketers will bow down and respect what he has done for this game. Scoring 14,000 runs is one thing, but achieving it in 65 innings ahead of the all-time great Sachin Tendulkar, who is second, is unreal."

"Just to put it into context, doing it in such a short time means you need to be consistent for almost a decade. And that man is special," Karthik said.

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Virat Kohli Becomes Fastest Cricketer to Reach 14,000 ODI Runs

Kohli needed just 15 runs to reach the 14,000-run milestone before the match. The star batter reached it in style with a four between mid-off and cover off Haris Rauf in the 13th over of India's chase.

He became the fastest batter in history to reach the landmark, achieving it in just 287 innings.

The Delhi-born cricketer surpassed Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who had taken 350 innings to reach the same mark.

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara is also on the elite list of batters. Sangakkara, who achieved the milestone in 378 innings, has now moved to third place.

One of the Best Batters of the Generation - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik hailed Virat Kohli as the "emperor of ODI cricket," calling him one of the greatest players in the format. Karthik also expressed confidence that Kohli will continue to achieve more.

"We all know him as the chase master, but he's the emperor of ODI cricket. One of the greatest that's ever played this format. And he will definitely go down as one of the best batters of the generation," Karthik added.

"And the names that he's stacked up with, Kumar Sangakkara just ahead of him, and then Sachin Tendulkar, two of the best that have ever played the game. But to have done it at that speed, and you know he's going to go for a lot more, considering how well he's batted today. Well, hats off to the man. That's outstanding stuff, Virat Kohli," he concluded.

The Rohit Sharma-led team will take on New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, in their final group stage match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Sunday, March 2.

Also read: Mohammad Rizwan attacks Pakistan teammates in Press Conference after being eliminated from Champions Trophy