Virat Kohli scored back-to-back centuries in ODI cricket when he brought up his 45th ODI ton against Sri Lanka in the first three-match ODI series on Tuesday. It was also his and 73rd hundred in international cricket.With this century, Kohli reached another ODI milestone, equaling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 20 ODI tons at home.
While Tendulkar reached the landmark in 164 matches, Kohli did it in 101 games. Kohli also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most centuries against Sri Lanka in ODIs. Tendulkar has eight to his credit while Kohli has gone to nine.
Earlier, Kohli ended his ODI century drought during India’s tour of Bangladesh. The number 3 batter remained century-less for 1214 days. The former India skipper had left batting legend Ricky Ponting behind when he last scored an ODI century.
Kohli is just five ODI centuries away from breaking Tendulkar’s record for most hundreds in the format. Kohli has 45 ODI centuries, whereas Tendulkar has scored 49 ODI hundreds in his career.
Kohli will likely break more ODI records as India has a packed ODI calendar — 15 matches excluding the Asia Cup — in the 10-month window in the build-up to the World Cup in October-November. Kohli can break another record as he needs 180 more runs to enter the top 5 all-time run-getters in ODIs. Kohli is only behind Tendulkar, Sangakkara, Ponting, Jayasuriya, and Jayawardene in the elite list.
