Indian cricketer Virat Kohli has rejected claims that he is the “greatest of all time” (G.O.A.T.) in the game, despite his impressive record in international cricket. Kohli recently equaled the record of legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar by scoring his 49th century in One Day Internationals (ODIs) during India’s Cricket World Cup match against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
During a chat on Star Sports, the host asked Kohli, “You know you’re a G.O.A.T?” to which the former India captain replied, “Nah yaar, I’m not that G.O.A.T and all. I’m not the greatest.” Kohli’s response went viral, as fans and cricket enthusiasts praised his humility and modesty.
In the match against South Africa, Kohli played a pivotal role in India’s victory, scoring an unbeaten 101 runs and helping the team amass a strong total of 326/5. He achieved his milestone century by taking a single on Kagiso Rabada’s delivery in the 49th over of India’s innings. Kohli reached this milestone in 119 balls, including 10 fours.
Prior to this match, Kohli narrowly missed out on his 49th ODI century during India’s match against Sri Lanka. Playing in front of Tendulkar, who was watching the game, Kohli was dismissed for 88. However, he bounced back in the following match against New Zealand, scoring a stroke-filled knock of 95 off 104 balls to secure India’s four-wicket win.
Kohli’s achievement of reaching 49 centuries in just 277 innings is remarkable, especially when compared to Tendulkar’s record of 452 innings. Despite these impressive numbers, Kohli remains humble and does not consider himself the greatest in the game.
This news article highlights Kohli’s modest response to being labeled the G.O.A.T. and emphasizes his focus on continuous improvement and dedication to the sport.
