Sachin Tendulkar congratulates Virat Kohli for equaling ODI centuries record, hopes for record-breaking feat

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar extended his congratulations to India's batting maestro Virat Kohli after the latter equaled Tendulkar's remarkable record of 49 One Day International (ODI) centuries during the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. Expressing his delight, Tendulkar took to Instagram to acknowledge Kohli's accomplishment, conveying his hope that Kohli would break the record in the near future.

Virat Kohli's stunning century came in a crucial match against South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Kohli's unbeaten 101 off 121 balls, which included 10 boundaries, was not just a testament to his remarkable skill but also a celebration of his 35th birthday.

In a heartwarming Instagram post, Sachin Tendulkar praised Kohli's performance, saying, "Well played Virat. It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations!!"

Despite drawing level with Tendulkar in ODI centuries, Kohli remains 21 tons behind the former India captain in terms of international hundreds (100). Kohli has now accumulated 79 international centuries, including the memorable century in this World Cup match against South Africa.

In addition to this impressive feat, Kohli also cemented his position as India's leading run-scorer in the ongoing World Cup. As India tops the World Cup 2023 points table, there is hope that Kohli could become one of the two Indians to win the competition twice, should India clinch the title. Among the current 15-member squad, only Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin remain from the team that secured the World Cup victory in 2011.

Kohli's journey to his century also saw him surpass the legendary Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara in terms of runs scored in ODI World Cups, making him the third-highest scorer in the competition's history.