When the Indian team takes the field against South Africa on Wednesday for the ODI series, it will be for the first time Virat Kohli will be on the side as a player and not as a captain in the last 7 years. But the focus will be on Kohli, not just how he adjusts to the new role in the team but how his batting is turning out after the lessening of the burden.
The 71st International ton that evades him since the November of 2019, Virat’s numbers in the Test have also reduced. His average of only 28.14 in his last 15 innings in the Test with six half-centuries is quite low according to his high standards and has scored 649 runs in the last 15 ODI matches at an average of 43.36 with a strike rate of 92.45, consisting of eight fifties.
The expectation will be higher, when Kohli walks at the crease during the ODI series in South Africa which starts on January 19, As fans would like to see the old, frightening and in form Kohli back in action.
A 44th ODI century will bring him closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s record in the particular format, it will also be his career 71 hundred which will place him joint 2nd with Australian legend Ricky Pointing.
He could also exceed Rahul Dravid (1309 runs) and Sorav Ganguly (1313 runs) to become the second-highest run-getter after Sachin’s tally of 2001 runs as he now stands with a total of 1287 runs.
