Former India captain and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly knows how momentous an occasion it would be for Virat Kohli when he steps out to play his 100th Test on Friday but the BCCI boss is confident that the superstar batter will celebrate greater milestones going forward in his career. In a video message shared by the BCCI’s official Twitter handle, Ganguly congratulated Kohli, saying it would be a dream come true moment for him when he takes the field against Sri Lanka in the opening Test in Mohali.
The 33-year-old Kohli will become the 12th Indian cricketer after Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma to play 100 Tests.
“It’s a huge landmark in Indian cricket, playing 100 Test matches is something that you dream of when you start playing cricket for your country. It’s a great moment for Virat, it’s momentous for Indian cricket,” Ganguly said in his message.
Former #TeamIndia Captain & Current BCCI President - @SGanguly99 - has a message for @imVkohli on his 100th Test. #VK100 pic.twitter.com/yXDz4bW5Wd
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 3, 2022
“I have personally been in that 100 Test match situation and I realise, how momentous and how humongous the occasion can be. Virat has had a great journey, exceptional achievements, starting 11 years ago. On behalf of the BCCI and also as a former captain who has played 100 Tests, I wish him all the best. He has had a fantastic career. He still has time to achieve greater milestones,” added the former India southpaw.
Kohli and Ganguly have endured a rocky past few months during which they were at opposite ends over the former's captaincy tenure coming to an end. Ganguly had asserted that Kohli gave up T20 captaincy despite requests to continue, while Kohli insisted that no such plea was made to him when he first communicated his desire to step down.
He was subsequently removed from ODI captaincy, before relinquishing Test captaincy at the end of a series loss to South Africa in January. Legendary Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar lauded Kohli for his ‘incredible’ and ‘phenomenal’ career.
“His (Kohli's) has been an incredible journey. His progress has been phenomenal, the consistency with which he has played, except for a brief period like the one in 2014 in England. The 100th Test and beyond should be more of the same,” Gavaskar said in anther video message shared by the BCCI’s official Twitter handle.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar takes us through the run of emotions that @imVkohli could feel ahead of his 100th Test. #VK100 pic.twitter.com/bzsh44xHXm
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 3, 2022
The former captain compared Kohli with Pakistani batting great Javed Miandad for their liking to get under the skin of opposition bowlers. “I remember him (Kohli) making his debut in the West Indies in 2011, even there you could see a fire in him,” Gavaskar said, recollecting Kohli's duel with West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards.
“To provoke a fast bowler takes something else. Kohli is one of the rare batters who likes to sledge bowlers. He has been different, he likes to get under their skin. He is like Javed Miandad in that sense.”
He said every cricket fan, including those who would be present at the PCA stadium, would want Kohli to score a hundred in his 100th Test. “Everyone will be wanting him to get a hundred in his 100th Test, a big hundred and helping India win. That will be incredible. Playing 100th Test for your country is an incredible feeling. After playing for the country and reaching the 100th Test means you have played for the country very successfully. No carrier will be smooth, there will be highs and lows,” Gavaskar said.
(with PTI inputs)
