Sports

Gavaskar Suggests Teammate Sacrifice Could Help Kohli Reach 100 International Centuries

By Pranav Shukla

Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in on the debate over Virat Kohli’s pursuit of 100 international centuries, arguing that a teammate making a personal sacrifice to help the star reach the landmark would bring joy to Indian cricket fans. In the first ODI against New Zealand, Kohli was in superb touch, scoring 74 off 51 deliveries to steer India toward victory in a low‑scoring match. Gavaskar, writing in a column for Mid‑day, noted that if Kohli had stayed at the crease longer, captain Shubman Gill and vice‑captain Shreyas Iyer might have faced a difficult decision: finish the match quickly or give Kohli a chance to reach his century. He added that while winning must remain the team’s priority, helping a player achieve such a milestone—provided it does not compromise the result—could be a moment of collective celebration. “Indians have always been fond of records and so there’s always a debate about the rights and wrongs of going for it,” Gavaskar wrote. “There is not a single Indian cricket fan who does not want Kohli to get to 100 international centuries. We are all cheering for him to get there and so, if there’s an occasion where some other teammate sacrifices his runs to allow him the chance to get there, the glory will not be just Kohli’s but for all Indian cricket fans too.” Kohli’s dismissal for 74 left India at 124/3 in the rain‑affected contest, sparing Gill and Iyer from having to manage the chase around Kohli’s personal milestone. Gavaskar said the two players were therefore spared potential criticism from fans on social media if India had delayed sealing the victory to give Kohli a chance to complete his hundred. “Kohli got out in the 70s. Gill and Iyer were thus spared any blowback if the winning runs had been hit with Kohli unbeaten in the 90s. Yes, it’s a team game, but it’s also good for the team if one of its members, especially a star player, gets to a personal milestone without affecting the team’s chances of winning,” he pointed out. Kohli, who now plays only ODIs, has 86 international centuries and is chasing a landmark that remains exclusive to Sachin Tendulkar, the only batter to have scored 100 international hundreds.