I Don't Think Anybody Else Has Done That, Sunil Gavaskar Hails Virat Kohli's Consistency

Former India captain, Sunil Gavaskar has lauded Virat Kohli, after the Indian captain became the fastest batsman to reach the 12,000-run mark in ODIs on Wednesday in Canberra.

Kohli overtook Sachin Tendulkar, who recorded the same number of runs in 300 innings, while Kohli took 242 innings. Kohli scored his 60th half-century in the third ODI against Australia as India won the close encounter by 13 runs. Argued as the greatest ODI batsman, Kohli has notched 43 ODI tons and is just 6 short of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

His consistency is unbelievable: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar heaps high praise for the performances from Virat Kohli in all three formats as he is currently the only batsman to average over 50 across formats. Gavaskar talks about how Kohli has grown not just as a batsman since his under 19 days but also feels that the RCB skipper is an inspiration to people who are looking to be fitter.

Speaking to India Today, Sunil Gavaskar said, “His performance in all formats of the game has been Virat (huge). He has been magnificent. The way he has grown as a batsman from what we say in 2008 and 2009 as a U-19 player. The way he has developed his game, the way he has made sacrifices to become a super-fit cricketer, has been inspirational for not just youngsters but those who are focussing on keeping fit.”

Gavaskar then lauded Kohli’s consistency and the ability to convert the fifties into hundreds. The 71-year-old says that it is unbelievable that Kohli has batted with such consistency for a decade.

The former opener reckons that Kohli has scaled new heights in ODI cricket. He also is looking forward to the skipper’s next 1000 runs and predicts that he should get it in the next 5-6 months.

“More than 12,000 runs, when he got the half-century today. I think he has played 251 ODI matches in which he has got 43 centuries and 60 fifties. So we are talking about 103 times out of 251 that he has gone past fifty. That’s absolutely amazing. I don’t think anybody else has done that.

“That consistency, that converting of the fifties to hundreds has been unbelievable. I keep saying beyond phenomenal. We have to keep celebrating that. We should look forward to the next 1000 runs, which hopefully will come in the next 5 or 6 months,” the former opener, Sunil Gavaskar added.

Although India won the last ODI, the Men in Blue had already lost the series in two matches in Sydney. Steve Smith was adjudged the Man of the Series for his twin hundreds in the first couple of games. The two teams will lock horns again in Canberra for the first T20I on Friday.

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