Gautam Gambhir, former Indian cricket team player, commended Virat Kohli for equaling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of scoring 49 centuries in One Day International (ODI) cricket. However, Gambhir also expressed concern about Kohli’s pacing during the Cricket World Cup 2023 match against South Africa. While Kohli appeared to be in excellent form, he slowed down as he approached his century, particularly struggling to hit boundaries towards the end of his innings. Gambhir believed that this slower pace could have been detrimental to India if the pitch conditions were more challenging.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Gambhir acknowledged that India had already accumulated enough runs for Kohli to slow down just before reaching his milestone. However, had they been playing on a difficult pitch at Eden Gardens, this approach might have backfired. Gambhir emphasized the importance of Kohli batting deep into the innings and expressed his concern about the last 5-6 overs where Kohli’s scoring rate decreased, possibly due to his desire to reach the century.
Despite his reservations, Gambhir praised Shreyas Iyer’s batting performance. Iyer scored a crucial 87 off 97 balls, providing solid support to Kohli. Gambhir believed that Iyer’s innings allowed Kohli to play more freely and effectively neutralized the threat posed by South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj.
The former Indian opener also highlighted the successful negotiation of Maharaj by Kohli and Iyer, with the spinner picking up only one wicket compared to Ravindra Jadeja’s five. Gambhir credited Iyer for taking chances and relieving the pressure on Kohli during their partnership.
In conclusion, Gambhir applauded Kohli for his century but cautioned that his pacing could have had negative consequences for India if the pitch conditions were less favorable. He also praised Iyer for his support and strategic batting approach, which allowed Kohli to excel.
