Kohli eyes 300th odi as he silences critics with Champions Trophy century

Virat Kohli is set to play his 300th One-Day International (ODI) on Sunday adding another landmark to his illustrious career after a match-winning century against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy.

India face New Zealand in their final group match in Dubai, with both sides already through to the semi-finals of the 50-over tournament.

Dubbed 'King Kohli' for his prolific run-scoring, the 36-year-old had endured a prolonged lean patch, sparking speculation that he and captain Rohit Sharma might retire. The duo have already stepped away from T20 internationals.

Kohli, however, roared back to form with an unbeaten 100 against Pakistan, guiding India to the brink of the semi-finals before New Zealand's win officially confirmed their spot. His century, the first since november 2023, showcased a measured approach before he unleashed on the opposition bowlers.

Teammate KL Rahul praised Kohli's enduring quality, saying: "That [300] is a lot of ODI games and a lot of international games. Words fall short to express how good a player he's been and what a great servant of Indian cricket he's been."

Rahul added: "Really happy to see him get that hundred last game. He's been batting really well, and for a player of his calibre, it was about time he scored a big, match-winning century. Hopefully, there are many more hundreds left for him and many more games of international cricket."

Both Kohli and Rohit retired from T20 internationals after India's World Cup triumph last year. Against Pakistan, Kohli became only the third batsman to surpass 14,000 ODI runs, joining legends Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.

The century was Kohli's 51st in 299 ODIs since his debut in 2008. With 82 hundreds across all formats, he is the 22nd player and seventh Indian to enter the 300-ODI club. Tendulkar leads the list with 463 matches.

New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell, who played alongside Kohli at Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, lauded Kohli's longevity. "Three hundred games in one format is amazing. It's a testament to his career," Bracewell said.

"I saw firsthand at RCB how he prepared for each match. It's very impressive. He's one of many class players in the Indian line-up, and they've all played a lot of cricket."

As Kohli approaches his latest milestone, his resurgence has not only silenced critics but also reaffirmed his status as a cornerstone of Indian cricket.