India’s Virat Kohli
Kohli was in superb touch during the first ODI against New Zealand, smashing 74 off just 51 deliveries to guide India towards victory in a low-scoring contest. The prospect becomes even more significant given that Kohli is chasing the historic mark of 100 international hundreds. However, Gavaskar raised an interesting possibility in his latest column for Mid-day : had Kohli stayed at the crease for longer, captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer could have found themselves in a difficult position. With India closing in on the target, the two batters might have had to choose between finishing the match quickly and giving Kohli an opportunity to reach his century.
Kohli eventually fell for 74 with India at 124/3 in the rain-affected contest, leaving the team with relatively little work to do in the chase. Kohli, who now plays only ODIs, has 86 international centuries to his name. He is chasing a landmark that remains exclusive to Sachin Tendulkar, the only batter to have scored 100 international hundreds.
Gavaskar acknowledged that winning a match must remain the team’s primary objective, but argued that helping a player achieve such a landmark, provided it does not compromise the result, could be a moment of collective celebration. His dismissal also meant Gill and Iyer did not have to confront the possibility of managing the chase around his personal milestone. “Kohli got out in the 70s. Gill and Iyer were thus spared any blowback if the winning runs had been hit with Kohli unbeaten in the 90s. Yes, it’s a team game, but it’s also good for the team if one of its members, especially a star player, gets to a personal milestone without affecting the team’s chances of winning,” Gavaskar pointed out.