Just to get that appreciation from Sachin means a lot to me – Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli continued his sensational form in the ongoing World Cup with another masterclass that saw him hammering away at the Proteas bowlers without breaking a sweat in World Cup 2023. He stayed unbeaten for a staggering 101 while India rode high on his heroics to post a mammoth total against South Africa on a surface that got a lot slower towards the latter half.

Awarded the Player of the Match for his 49th ODI century, Virat Kohli was absolutely gleeful about the very special knock that Eden Gardens stayed witness to. At the post-match presentation, Virat talked at length about how the match panned out for the Men in Blue and why batting became so difficult towards the latter half of the game.

Talking about the match-up and the initial plans, Kohli said, “It was a big game, probably playing the toughest team in the tournament. There was a motivation to do well. Because it happened on my birthday, it becomes special and the people made it more special for me. I did wake up with that excitement that today is not just another game. People from the outside look at the game in a bit of a different way. When the openers start well, it feels it is a belter and everyone has to play that way. But as the ball got older, the conditions slowed down drastically.”

He further added, “The message was clear, keep batting around me. I was happy from that perspective. Once we got more than 315, we knew that we were above par. I’m enjoying myself, playing cricket all over again, that is more important to me than phases. I’m just happy that God has blessed me with that enjoyment. I’m just happy that I'm able to do what I have done over all these years.”

Sachin Tendulkar posted a heartfelt message, congratulating VK for paralleling his record in ODIs and also wishing him all the best for the record-breaking one. VK, in response, said, “It is all too much for me to take in now, to equal my hero’s record is something special for me. He is perfection when it comes to batting. It’s a very emotional moment for me. I know where I come from, I know the days I have watched him on TV. Just to get that appreciation from him means a lot to me.”