In response to Virat Kohli surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s remarkable record, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir remarked that the unique quality of Kohli is that he has performed well no matter the circumstances.
Regarding India’s six-wicket victory in the second Test versus Australia in Delhi, Virat Kohli may not have been at the forefront of contributors who made a difference. However, beyond the figures, his batting was a sight to behold and an excellent example for young cricketers to learn from. Despite coming away with only 44 and 20 runs, his footwork and use of wrists on tricky Indian pitches were masterful.
In the first innings of the Delhi Test, Kohli was exceptional against Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann. It seemed like he was going to score a large number of runs before a questionable call from the umpire ended his innings early. In the second innings, Murphy dismissed Murphy by a great slider ball. Legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Mark Waugh, Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir noted Kohli’s reliable batting and thought he was close to ending his Test century drought.
On the third day of the second Test, Kohli achieved a remarkable accomplishment by becoming the quickest player to accumulate 25000 international runs, doing so in 549 innings, outstripping Sachin Tendulkar’s 577 innings. Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis recorded 588 innings and 594 innings, respectively, before reaching the milestone, whereas Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene needed 608 innings and 701 innings, respectively.
Gambhir commented on Virat Kohli’s impressive feat, noting that the remarkable aspect of his success is his ability to excel in any setting. He remarked that while other players may have had accomplishments in one area, Kohli has achieved remarkable numbers across all locations, demonstrating his talent in all forms of cricket. Gambhir remarked that Kohli had notched 27 centuries and 28 fifties in Test cricket and had scored centuries in several countries, concluding that it was a remarkable feat.
Gambhir expressed on Star Sports that achieving 25 thousand runs is not a small feat. He acknowledged the difficult journey the player has had, full of highs and lows, yet staying consistent. One’s game must be altered in multiple ways, such as stance, technique, strengths and weaknesses, means of dismissal and emotions. If the player can manage all of this and still achieve this amount of runs, he is great.
