A true icon of modern cricket, Virat Kohli extended his soaring form with the bat, slamming an unbeaten 166 in the third ODI against Sri Lanka to help his team secure a historic win. In what was Kohli's second century of the series, the superstar batter has made his intentions clear in a year that will see India host the ODI World Cup. Having taken his time to score the 71st international ton from 70th, Kohli now has 74 triple-digits scores to his name in rapid fashion. As the cricket fraternity hails his brilliance, Virat has been labelled the 'GOAT' of international cricket by former Sri Lanka star Farveez Mahroof.
"Simply the GOAT of international cricket. If Lionel Messi is the GOAT in football, it's Virat Kohli for me in international cricket," Farveez Maharoof said on ESPNcricinfo's show Match Day.
"The script is written nicely for 2023. World Cup at home, he won in 2011 and this is his World Cup as well if he continues his good form. The way he paces his innings, the way he takes on bowlers and the way he understands the situation, I don't think anyone in the world does it any better," he added.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who was also on the same show, said that he wasn't surprised seeing Kohli score his 3rd hundred in 4 games. Jaffer even felt that the 33-year-old batter will continue this form for a long time, having finally gotten over the barren patch that had troubled him for 2-3 years.
"When Virat Kohli comes into form, he carries that form for years. And, it's no surprise that he has got three hundreds in last 4 ODI innings, and one of it is 166. It doesn't surprise me. He had 2-3 years of really lean patch. He wanted to make runs but things were not happening. Bowlers were bowling their best balls, decisions were going against him but when the tide turns, he is one of those guys who puts in the effort, who works intensively hard whether it's in gym or training. For those guys who put in so much effort, results are bound to come, and when the results come, they come like this," said Jaffer on the same show.
"When he is playing like that, it's good news for Indian cricket. It's a world cup year, and Virat Kohli in this kind of form, is such a big news," he concluded.