Virat Kohli delivered another big moment in Raipur with a fine century that reminded everyone why he remains the heartbeat of Indian cricket. Coming off a strong hundred in Ranchi, he walked into the second ODI with confidence and finished with a calm and controlled innings.
A composed and powerful knock
Kohli reached his hundred in 90 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes. It was his 53rd ODI hundred and the 84th century of his international career. He now has 11 instances of back to back ODI tons, placing him alone at the top of that record list.
Dominance against South Africa
His numbers against South Africa stay exceptional. His average in 50 over cricket against them sits just below 70. With this century, he extended his lead in the ODI hundreds chart by 4 over Sachin Tendulkar.
Century machine across formats
Kohli remains second on the all format century list behind Tendulkar, and far ahead of every active player. The way he played in Raipur showed how well he understands the tempo of one day cricket even at 37.
Fit, focused, and far from done
There is constant talk about his age, but performances like this show how prepared he is. Even with gaps between matches, he keeps his rhythm and switches on instantly, which remains one of his major strengths.
A sign of hunger and consistency
This century was more than a number on paper. It reflected his hunger, calmness, and ability to shape matches. At 37, Kohli continues to answer every question with runs and reliability.
