NEW DELHI: Modern-day great Virat Kohli secured his 50th ODI century, surpassing legendary Sachin Tendulkar, and played a pivotal role in India's emphatic 70-run victory over New Zealand in the World Cup semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium. Batting coach Vikram Rathour commended Kohli's exceptional understanding of his role in the team, highlighting that the star batter requires minimal attention from the coaching staff.
Rathour, speaking to the media after India's historic win, acknowledged Kohli's cricketing acumen, stating, "He (Kohli) understands his cricket, and we just help him prepare. If he needs to ask anything, he comes and asks; otherwise, we let him be. He knows what he has to do now, that he needs to get in the right mindspace, and he is in a good mindspace. He bats the way he wants to."
The batting coach emphasised the team's delight at Kohli's milestone century and India's qualification for the World Cup final, the first in 12 years. Rathour credited Kohli's continuous hard work on cricket and fitness, describing him as "still really hungry to score more runs."
1/10:Candid moment of Sachin congratulating Anushka after Virat's 50th century
Agencies
2/10:Anushka receives congratulations from Sachin
Anushka Sharma was patted on the back by Sachin Tendulkar and received accolades for her husband's performance.Agencies
3/10:Kohli, Anushka exchange flying kisses
Virat Kohli was seen blowing kisses to Anushka Sharma after achieving his 50th century and breaking Sachin Tendulkar's World Cup record.ANI
4/10:'Modern-day master' Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli confirmed his place as cricket's modern-day master with a record 50th one-day international hundred in India's World Cup semifinal win over New Zealand.AP
5/10:Kohli surpasses Tendulkar's record
Virat Kohli needed only 279 matches to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI hundreds, achieving his 50th century in his team's World Cup semifinal win over New Zealand.PTI
6/10:Kohli's celebration with Tendulkar
Virat Kohli celebrated his 50th century by bowing down to Sachin Tendulkar and receiving applause from his wife Anushka Sharma and other Bollywood celebrities.Reuters
7/10:Virat Kohli's dream-like achievement
Virat Kohli described his 50th century as a dream-like achievement and expressed his gratitude for the support of his wife, Anushka Sharma, and his cricketing idol, Sachin Tendulkar.PTI
8/10:Kohli helps India secure a spot in the final
Virat Kohli's third century of the tournament helped India defeat New Zealand by 70 runs and secure a spot in the World Cup final against Australia or South Africa.AP
9/10:Tendulkar praises Kohli's passion
Sachin Tendulkar praised Virat Kohli for his passion and skill, expressing his happiness that an Indian player broke his record and achieved it on the biggest stage.AFP
10/10:Kohli's gratitude towards his team
Virat Kohli expressed his gratitude towards his team for their performance throughout the tournament and for allowing him to play his role in helping the team succeed.APRathour underlined that executing game plans effectively has been the success mantra under Captain Rohit Sharma's leadership.
"We always believed that we have a very well-settled and intelligent batting group. We adapted very well to the conditions and situations," he said.
Commenting on the contributions of players like Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin, who played key roles despite limited opportunities, Rathour credited the team management for maintaining a positive environment.
"The credit again to the management, he (Shami) was in a great mindspace even when he was not playing," Rathour remarked.
With the absence of Hardik Pandya, Rathour shared that he has been working extensively with lower-order batsmen, including Kuldeep Yadav, to address the team's slightly shorter batting lineup.
As India gear up for the World Cup final, Rathour emphasised the importance of preparation and adapting to challenges in pursuit of cricketing glory.
(With inputs from PTI)
