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Virat Kohli (Image Source: Twitter)
Virat Kohli is currently busy playing the ongoing three-match home ODI series against Sri Lanka. However, he made an excellent start to the 2023 year as Virat scored his 45th ODI ton in the series opener. With that hundred, he is currently just four centuries away to match the great Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
This legendary batter scored 49 centuries in his entire career in the 50-over format. So, fans are hoping to see him making some new records in ODIs with so many games to come this year along with the World Cup in India. Now, regarding his comparison with Sachin Tendulkar, the former India skipper, Sourav Ganguly shared his vote.
“He's a special talent.” - Sourav Ganguly on Virat Kohli
As quoted by PTI, Sourav Ganguly said: "It's a difficult question to answer. Kohli is a fantastic player. He's played many such innings, 45 centuries don't happen like this. He's a special talent. There will be periods when he will not score, but he's a special player."
Speaking of the ODI careers of both Virat and Sachin, Virat Kohli has played 267 ODIs so far for team India. In those matches, he has scored 12584 runs so far at an average of 57.72. Till now, Kohli has scored 45 centuries and 64 fifties. On the other hand, Sachin Tendulkar played 463 ODIs where he scored 18426 runs at an average of 44.83. He scored 49 centuries and 96 fifties.
However, during the first ODI on 10 January 2023, Gautam Gambhir made a comment on Star Sports regarding this comparison. There, he said that it is not right to compare Kohli with Tendulkar because rules have changed a lot all over the years. Gambhir said: "It's not about the record honestly. Virat Kohli will go on to get many more centuries than Sachin Tendulkar in the 50-over format. See, the rules have changed. You should not compare eras. It's not fair to compare eras as well where there was one new ball as compared to now when there are 2 new balls with five fielders inside. But yes, he has been a master in this format and he has shown it over such a long period of time."