Virat Kohli vs Sachin Tendulkar: Can Virat break Sachin's record of scoring most centuries in ODI cricket? - Check

King Kohli aka Virat Kohli has resumed the normal service of pulling Team India out of trouble first time since 2019 as he smashes back-to-back centuries in his favourite format of the game i.e. ODI cricket. Virat smashed a century in the last game of the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh to end his three-year plus drought of centuries in the 50-over format. And then made it even sweet for his fans by smashing another one in the very next ODI that Team India played against Sri Lanka. With this Virat now has scored the last century of 2022 and the first one of 2023. This was Virat's 9th ton against Sri Lanka, now he has nine or more centuries against two nations. This was Kohli's 45th century in ODIs only behind 'God of Cricket' aka Sachin Tendulkar. This leaves us with a question that we love to discuss.

Back to back ODI hundreds for @imVkohli __

Live - https://t.co/MB6gfx9iRy #INDvSL @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/Crmm45NLNq — BCCI (@BCCI) January 10, 2023

Also Read: Big blow for Team India as no cricket for Jasprit Bumrah till February, likely to miss IND vs AUS Test series

Virat Kohli's Record Breaking 100
100 NO. 45 in ODIs (257 INN)
4 Behind Sachin's 49 (452 INN)

Most ODI 100s @ Home
Sachin/Virat - 20

Most 100s vs Sri Lanka in ODIs
Virat- 9
Sachin- 8

Most 100s vs a single team in ODIs
Virat- 9 vs WI & SL
Sachin- 9 vs WI#INDvsSL#INDvSL pic.twitter.com/pWtP5En3Pa

— shashank singh (@shashank_singh2) January 10, 2023

Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's record in ODIs?

Virat Kohli has scored his 45th century in ODI cricket against Sri Lanka today.  In the 266 ODIs he has played, Virat has batted in 257 of them scoring 12,584 runs at a staggering average of 57.72. The talismanic batter has scored 64 fifties in his career so far and has 45 three-figure scores.

On the other hand, Sachin Tendulkar has played almost double the matches as Virat. He has featured in 463 matches for India out of which in 452 innings he batted to score 18426 runs which are the most for any batsman in the history of ODI cricket. He averages 44.83 with a strike rate of 86.24. The Master Blaster also holds the record of scoring the most centuries i.e 49 in ODI cricket with a double ton to his name. Sachin has also scored 96 fifties in his career.

This shot from sachin>>>>>>>>>>> virat kohli's entire career pic.twitter.com/sM2H72KApo — RahuL (@punjabi_walter) December 16, 2022

Can Virat achieve the unthinkable?

It is almost sure that Virat Kohli will break Sachin Tendulkar's record for scoring the most centuries in ODI cricket. He just needs five more tons to overtake Sachin. However, he will not be able to surpass his runs tally. Given that it is an ODI World Cup year and the mega event will be played in India, Virat Kohli has a golden chance to achieve the feat in front of the home crow.

Virat Kohli's Tweet  (When Sachin Tendulkar Scored ODI Double Century) pic.twitter.com/mdRkw4TKkv —  (@Shebas_10dulkar) February 24, 2021

Will Virat score 100 centuries?

It is highly unlikely that Virat Kohli will be able to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's all-time hundred count as age is not by his side. He is 34 and the Indian cricket team has already started looking beyond Virat. Also in one of his interviews, he mentioned that cricket is just a part of his life and not his entire life and when the time comes he will announce retirement. This means that Virat Kohli will not look to stretch his cricketing career. And thus he will not have more centuries than Sachin.