Virat Kohli turned back the clock with a breathtaking century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy 2025, reminding the world why he remains one of the best in the game. Under pressure following a lean patch, Kohli delivered a commanding performance, pacing his innings to perfection and guiding India to a comfortable victory in Dubai.
Kohli’s childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, didn’t hold back in defending his protégé, giving a sharp response to critics who doubted Kohli’s form. For months, Kohli’s batting form had been under scrutiny, especially after a poor run in Test cricket and a modest 22 off 38 balls in India’s opening Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh.
But against his favourite rivals, Pakistan, Kohli found his rhythm again, showcasing his trademark class and composure. Speaking to ANI after the match, Rajkumar Sharma dismissed the criticism surrounding Kohli, urging sceptics to simply look at his overall record.
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“It was a remarkable performance. He has been doing this for years. All I can say to the critics is—just check his stats. Everyone has their opinions, but Virat lets his bat do the talking. His work ethic is unmatched, and that’s why he has delivered so many match-winning performances,” Rajkumar Sharma asserted.
Kohli’s innings of 100* off 111 balls was a masterclass in controlled aggression. He never looked out of sync, rotating the strike efficiently and punishing loose deliveries with precision. His century came in emphatic fashion—off the final ball of the match, as he elegantly drove Khushdil Shah through the covers for four.
In the process, Kohli became the fastest batter to reach 14,000 runs in ODI cricket, breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record. While Tendulkar achieved the milestone in 350 innings, Kohli surpassed it in just 287 innings—nearly 60 innings fewer.
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Virat Kohli joins an elite club alongside Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara as the only players to cross the 14,000-run mark in ODIs. This century was Kohli’s sixth in ICC tournaments and his first-ever in the Champions Trophy. He was rightly named Player of the Match, marking his first such honour in the tournament since 2009, when a young Kohli won it for his performance against the West Indies.
