SL vs IND: Virat Kohli en route to equal Sachin Tendulkar's record of most ODI centuries against Sri Lanka

PTI

New Delhi: With yet another masterful innings against Sri Lanka in the fourth one-day international match, played at Premadasa Stadium, on August 31, India skipper Virat Kohli proved why he is currently the best batsman in the world. Notching up his 29th ODI ton at Colombo, Kohli is now one, just one behind equalling Sachin Tendulkar's record of most ODI centuries against Sri Lanka. ( SL vs IND, 5th ODI: Live Blog )

After opener Shikhar Dhawan's early dismissal into their innings, Kohli stepped in to join Rohit Sharam at the crease. Striking a flurry of boundaries and sixes, the duo stitched their third 200-plus partnership in ODI cricket.

En route to their rampaging 219-run stand for the second-wicket, Virat smashed his 29th ODI ton, thus surpassing Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya, to stand third on the list of most ODI tons. He is now one behind Aussie great Ricky Ponting, and still miles to close the gap with Sachin's 49 hundred.

Adding to his praise, it was also Virat's seventh one-day international century against the Islanders, thus standing one behind the all-time record set by the Master Blaster. Ergo, one more blistering knock could see the 28-year-old equal the record set by Tendulkar. However, the record for most hundreds against an opposition also stands in favour of Sachin, who has nine such knocks to his name which he had amassed against the formidable Australians. Not only so, another century could make the skipper be the first ever to hit a hat-trick of centuries at Premadasa. Virat stands atop with two centuries alongside Sachin, Jayasuriya, and Gibbs.

It is no longer a common topic of discussion as to who is better, Virat or Sachin. Ever since, the latter departure from the 22 yards of space, Virat has been arguably considered as the person who has the ability to emulate his records. The Delhi-based cricketer has already tumbled down a few and has almost neared most of them at such an early part of his career.