Thiruvananthapuram: The run drought that plagued him is a thing of the past. There’s no stopping Virat Kohli now.
The former captain smashed his 46th ODI century on Sunday to power Team India to 390/5 in the third and final match of the series against Sri Lanka.
It was Kohli’s third hundred in his last 4 ODIs, taking him to within three of Sachin Tendulkar’s record tally of 49.
While Tendulkar scored his 49 centuries in 452 innings, Kohli has raced to 46 hundreds in 268 innings.
On Sunday at Greenfield International Stadium here, Kohli was in the mood from the word go and plundered 166 off the hapless Lankan bowlers off just 110 balls – giving him an astounding strike rate of 150.90.
He smacked 8 sixes – the most he has hit in an ODI innings – besides 13 fours.
It was Kohli’s fifth 150-plus score in an ODI.
Such was his dominance after he came to the crease in the 16th over following Rohit Sharma’s dismissal for 42 that a fine knock by Shubman Gill got overshadowed. The young opener brought up his second ODI ton, stroking his way to 116 off 97 balls (14 fours, 2 sixes).
TOP 5 ODI CENTURIONS
Sachin Tendulkar – 49 hundreds in 452 innings (463 matches)
Virat Kohli – 46 hundreds in 259 innings (268 matches)
Ricky Ponting – 30 hundreds in 365 innings (375 matches)
Rohit Sharma — 29 hundreds in 231 innings (238 matches)
Sanath Jayasuriya — 28 hundreds in 433 innings (445 matches).
