Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 15 (IANS) India opener Shubman Gill was fulsome in praise of talismanic batter Virat Kohli’s 166 not out in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium, saying it is amazing to witness what he does with the bat.
On Sunday, Kohli hit his 46th ODI century, dishing out a batting masterclass through his 166 not out off just 110 balls, hitting 13 fours and eight sixes, making Sri Lanka bowlers look hapless on a flat pitch as India posted a mammoth 390/5 in 50 overs.
On way to his 166 not out, including smashing 84 runs in the last ten overs, Kohli surpassed former Sri Lankan batter Mahela Jayawardene to become the fifth-highest run scorer in ODIs, a list which is headed by legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar (18,426). It is also his third three-figure mark in the last four innings of the 50-over format.
“It is amazing to see what he does. I watched him growing up and it is incredible to see what he does. Once you get a start how to convert it into a hundred and how to convert those hundreds into 150-160 is a lesson we learn,” said Gill in a mid-innings chat with the broadcasters.
Gill himself had reasons to be elated, making his second ODI century through a 97-ball 116, hitting 14 fours and two sixes to get his first 50-over ton in India. He scored his fifty in 52 balls but took only 37 deliveries for the next 50 runs.
“Always feels good to convert a start into a big one. We were not looking at any target and were just trying to see how the pitch plays. The odd delivery was keeping low and there was not much spin. When you are batting with Rohit or Virat, you don’t have to do much. We were talking about targeting the bowlers and looked to score after the first three overs,” he added.
India have already won the series, thanks to victories in Guwahati and Kolkata. A win in the third ODI at Thiruvananthapuram will give India a 3-0 series triumph, adding to the T20I series won by the hosts’ by 2-1 against the same opposition earlier in the month.
–IANS
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