Dubai: As the Champions Trophy match between India and Pakistan progressed, with approximately half of India's innings remaining, the contest had lost its competitive edge. India was firmly in control, while Pakistan appeared to be struggling, leaving only Virat Kohli's pursuit of a century to captivate the audience.

Kohli has achieved this milestone numerous times, yet given his recent challenges, both he and his devoted supporters were eager for this particular achievement.

Despite the lack of excitement in the match, the prospect of Kohli missing out on a century as the innings drew to a close had fans anxiously hoping and even directing their frustrations at Hardik Pandya, who aggressively reduced the target. Even captain Rohit Sharma was compelled to rise from his seat, urging Kohli to find the gaps for the final runs.

When Kohli reached his century (100* off 111 balls), the crowd erupted in applause, and he acknowledged their support with a raised bat, calmly signaling to the dressing room as if to reassure them, "There is no need for concern; I am here."

Indeed, Kohli remains a formidable presence. He embodies the relentless pursuit of runs reminiscent of Sachin Tendulkar, combined with the composure that characterized Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the finest finisher in the sport. Additionally, he has incorporated his own exceptional fitness into his game. Pakistan faced a significant challenge in countering his brilliance, a task few have managed in One Day Internationals.

“I am in awe of his hard work,” remarked Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan following the match. “What kind of dedication must he have shown? The entire world has been saying he is out of form, yet he steps into a high-stakes match that everyone anticipates and scores runs with apparent ease. I commend his work ethic and fitness. We did our utmost to dismiss him, but he outperformed us.”

Pakistan might have considered attacking him more frequently outside the off-stump; they could have focused on the 4th-5th stump line that has consistently posed challenges for him. However, this was a determined Kohli, intent on overcoming his difficulties.

“It’s a Catch 22. It has kind of been my weakness over the years, but I have scored a lot of runs on that shot,” Kohli remarked to BCCI.tv regarding his cover drive.

He further stated, “Today was all about trusting my shots. I believe the initial couple of shots were cover drives played on the rise. Therefore, I had to embrace a bit of risk and commit fully to my shots because when I execute those types of shots, I feel in control while batting.”

At first glance, one might assume that scoring 100 runs off 111 balls in 151 minutes, with seven fours and no sixes, was a laborious task. Yet, this has always been the cornerstone of Kohli’s excellence in ODI cricket. His boundary percentage (28%) during the century against Pakistan was nearly three times his career average.

While the striking cover drives are memorable, the essence of a Virat Kohli ODI innings lies in his relentless acceleration between the wickets. This is his signature style, characterized by a gradual accumulation of runs.

Out of his 14,085 career runs, 5,812 have been accumulated through singles. He has successfully taken 939 twos, exploiting gaps in the field that bowlers might not have anticipated, and often challenging his batting partner for the second run due to his remarkable stamina. In this regard, this innings epitomized Kohli’s typical approach.

In many ways, the No. 3 position in ODIs is designated for the diligent player; it serves as a link between aggressive openers—like Tendulkar—and middle-order batsmen, who often have specific roles—such as Dhoni. Kohli elevates his position by starting strong and frequently remaining at the crease until victory is secured.

His average of 58.20 across 299 ODIs is unparalleled. While Tendulkar maintained this for a longer duration (463 ODIs) at an average of 44.83, Ricky Ponting (13,704 runs) approached it with a more aggressive flair, and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs) did so with elegance, yet Kohli’s impact on ODI cricket remains distinct.

Read Also: Champions Trophy Shake-Up: Pakistan Out, India and New Zealand Advance

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