The Indian skipper is just 28years old and he already went past Ricky Ponting on the number of Centuries scored by any batsman on ODI. With yet another ODI ton last day against Sri Lanka Kohli scored his 30th ODI ton going past Ricky Ponting who stands at a same number of tons but have taken more innings.
He led India to a third series sweep while the visitors had also sealed a series sweep in the Tests. Virat is happy with the team’s clinical performance till date and he has led the team well from the front.
“We did very well in Tests, but in the ODIs, we didn’t do so well. From the last game in the West Indies, now we have won six. That is something we wanted to address before this series, we wanted to be relentless,” he told the media after the series at the Premadasa Stadium.
em><“We wanted to make sure we are challenging ourselves every time we are going out on to the park. That helps you when you are going through difficult situations. These habits are very difficult to create, and once we create them, then you take it easy, it can come back to hurt you.”
As earlier he had said that he would keep on experimenting with the team combination he also voiced about the same thing after the clinical performance.
“We spoke about experimenting with a few guys going up and down the order. If you go to India, there is one pattern they follow, so people tend to prepare like that. But when we get more confident in the roles we are given, then we can be more unpredictable. That becomes a lethal combination. A team will find it difficult to set a pattern for us. But we have to embrace that change.”
On his new achievement of being second highest in the number of ODI, tons scored he looked pleased and more confident of the future.
“I only look to perform as much as I can for the team. These things are something that keep happening in your career. You don’t target these things (records) but those stat windows are hard to neglect. It is an honour for me to equal someone like Ricky Ponting.
“That is not something you aim for, but as batsmen you respect what these legends have achieved. It is nice to have equalled one. But (Tendulkar) is quite a bit away. That is going to take one hell of an effort.
“But I am not thinking about that. Even if I get 90 not out and the team wins, that will be fine.”
“At this stage of your career, it becomes about awareness. The last game, it was about coming out to play the way I wanted to, but today playing a batsman less, the responsibility was on me.
“That becomes the second nature when you have done it for X number. It is not something you need to plan before, react to a situation. You need to be very respectful to the game and the results would come.” he concluded.
Team India will next play a lone T20 International against the Lankans.
