Virat Kohli, the Indian cricket superstar, recently made headlines by notching up his 49th One Day International (ODI) century during India’s World Cup 2023 group-stage fixture against South Africa. This remarkable feat also marked his 35th birthday, and in doing so, he equaled the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI hundreds. However, while the cricket world celebrated this milestone, a section of fans took to social media to troll Kohli for what they perceived as a “selfish” and “slow” knock. Let’s delve into the details and explore the various reactions surrounding Kohli’s century.

The Century and the Milestone

In a game of milestones, Virat Kohli’s 49th ODI century was undoubtedly the standout achievement. Tendulkar took 451 ODI innings to reach this milestone, while Kohli managed to achieve it in just 277 innings, showcasing his incredible consistency and dominance in the limited-overs format.

The Innings

Kohli’s century came in an ODI match against South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. He reached his century on a pitch described as “tricky to bat on” by none other than the man himself. Kohli’s innings was slow and methodical, particularly in the latter stages when the pitch became more challenging to bat on.

The Partnerships

Kohli shared a crucial partnership with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 77 runs in 87 balls. The two faced the challenges posed by the tricky pitch and contributed to India’s above-par total of 326/8. Kohli’s ability to bat deep, as per the team’s strategy, was instrumental in this partnership.

The Twitter Storm

Despite the importance of Kohli’s century in the context of the match, a significant number of fans, particularly those of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, took to Twitter to express their discontent. They criticized Kohli for his “selfish” approach and the perceived slowness of his innings.

Kohli’s Response

In response to the criticism, Kohli explained his innings, stating that the pitch had become difficult to bat on after the 10th over. He revealed that his role was to bat deep while others played around him, as communicated by the team management. Kohli’s mature approach allowed India to post a competitive total.

We were never selfish for centuries pic.twitter.com/YzVpPUkwt6

— Div🦁 (@div_yumm) November 5, 2023

There are some Tendulkar fanatics, who defend the so-called 100th 100 scored by Tendulkar in Mirpur in 2012, which was a disgraceful act of batting.

11 years later, the Kohli fanatics will defend this innings as well.

Being selfish is the DNA of Indian batsmanship.#INDvsSA

— Vijay A (@VAAChandran) November 5, 2023

Selfish kohli playing for his century not for country pic.twitter.com/e9kS2Clmz6

— krishna🥀 (@iiamkrshn) November 5, 2023

Virat Kohli’s “selfish century” in the World Cup 2023 has sparked a wide range of reactions among cricket fans. While some celebrated his milestone and understood the importance of his innings in the context of the match, others criticized his approach. Regardless of the opinions, Kohli’s consistency and ability to adapt to challenging conditions remain a testament to his prowess as a world-class batsman. The debates and discussions surrounding his innings only serve to highlight the passion and intensity that cricket evokes among fans worldwide.