Virat Kohli can break Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 100 centuries, says this former cricketer

First Published Aug 24, 2020, 5:05 PM IST

Bengaluru: The debate whether anyone can break Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international centuries is back ahead of IPL 2020. And, Virat Kohli’s name is what comes to this former India player’s mind. He thinks Kohli will better Tendulkar’s world record.

Kohli, 31, is one of the best batsmen across formats. Time and again he has proved his batting ability at home and overseas.

So far, the Indian captain has scored 70 centuries in international cricket. Kohli has 43 hundreds in ODIs and 27 in Tests).

Tendulkar, who played in a world record 463 ODIs and 200 Tests, retired in 2013 with 100 tons (51 in Tests, 49 in ODIs).

Now, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has backed Kohli to break Tendulkar’s mark.

“I am sure 100 hundreds, he (Kohli) might not be talking about it but you know if anyone could achieve that feat after Sachin Tendulkar, he is the one,” Pathan said on Star Sports’ ‘Cricket Connected’ show when asked whether Kohli has anything in his bucket list to achieve.

“He has achieved so much in such a little time and I hope if anyone breaks the records of 100 hundreds, he has to be an Indian and Virat has the ability and fitness, which is the most important thing to be able to achieve that feat,” he added.

“I think he (Kohli) is 30 short of that 100 hundreds, I think he will be able to achieve it before he retires and I hope so and that’s the target he will have in his mind,” Pathan said.

From next month, Kohli will be seen in action in IPL 2020 to be played in the UAE. He is already in Dubai along with his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammates.