Himalayauk himalaya Gaurav Uttarakhand
England must also wonder what IS a safe total in this format of the game. They had made totals of over 400 in Tests, only to be whipped time and again by the Indian batting line-up. Now a seemingly humongous ODI total of 350 for 7 was brushed aside as a couple of batsmen – one batting out of his skin and the other as though it was a walk in the park – stole the thunder in front of a packed Pune house.
But first, a mention must be made about the incredible positive mindset of Kohli and his extraordinary ability to coax heroic contributions from the most unexpected of quarters.
Is Virat Kohli the Don Bradman of ODI cricket? England must think so, as the newly-crowned Indian ODI team skipper made light of an imposing target of 351 by notching up his 27th ODI hundred, in only his 169th innings, a feat unparalleled in the history of the game.
In Tests, he was able to motivate Ravichandran Ashwin, Jayant Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja to rise to the challenge and come up with outstanding batting performances that virtually knocked the stuffing out of the Englishmen.
His immense confidence and faith in his ability convinced him that the seemingly impregnable total of 350 was within grasp. Importantly, he could instill similar confidence in a relatively inexperienced Jadhav. Together they forged the sort of force that England will not forget for a long time to come. Additionally, they have dealt a severe blow to the visitors’ morale and self-esteem and it would be interesting to see how England recovers from it.
Kohli’s prodigious output with the bat, his 27th century in only his 169th innings, must also be put in perspective. Maestro Sachin Tendulkar took 254 innings to reach the 27-ton marker while other ODI greats, Ricky Ponting and Sanath Jayasuriya, took 308 and 404 innings respectively.
