'Form is temporary, class is permanent,' Netizens react as Virat Kohli scores 45th ODI century in IND vs SL 1st ODI

IND vs SL: Virat Kohli scored his 45th ODI century against Sri Lanka in the 1st ODI between India and the Lankan Lions

Source: Twitter

Netizens could not keep calm as Virat Kohli smacked his first hundred of 2023 on Tuesday (January 10) at Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati against Sri Lanka in the first ODI of the 3-match series. Kohli got to the 3-figure mark in just 80 balls to score his 45th ton in the ODI format. Notably, it was Kohli's second successive ODI hundred after the knock against Bangladesh in December 2022.

Checkout the reactions here...

King Kohli!
Form is Temporary, Class is Permanent!  — Akshay (@a_akshayy) January 10, 2023

Century for King Kohli.  — Pavan Goyal (@Pavan_07goyal) January 10, 2023

73rd International hundred, 45th in ODI including back-in-back in this format, this is his kingdom.

King Kohli of world cricket. pic.twitter.com/L38wxMtnyH

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 10, 2023

Historic - Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to have most centuries against Sri Lanka in ODIs. — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 10, 2023

Hundred by King Kohli in just 80 balls - 73rd in international, 45th in ODIs. He starts the new year with a bang. pic.twitter.com/1qyTSNRqs3 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 10, 2023

King Kohli is back. The first 100 of many to come this year. #INDvsSL — The Sport Place (@sportplacetsp) January 10, 2023

Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and opted to field first against India in the first ODI of the three-match series at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday. The ODIs will be held in Guwahati, Kolkata and Trivandrum on January 10, 12 and 15 respectively. India are without the services of their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for the three-match ODI series against the Islanders, the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) announced on Monday. The likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer returned to the squad after being rested for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which Men in Blue clinched by 2-1 under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya.

Virat Kohli accomplished a landmark during India's first ODI against Sri Lanka at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. Virat's 45th ODI ton is his 20th ODI ton on home soil. He has equalled the world record of legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar of slamming the most tons in his home country. Both batters have 20 hundreds each in home conditions. Virat took only 99 to accomplish this while Sachin did so in 160 innings. Other than these two, Hashim Amla of South Africa (14 tons in SA in 69 innings) and Ricky Ponting (14 tons in Australia in 151 innings) also are in the list for most ODI tons in home conditions.

In the second ball of the 47th over bowled by pacer Kasun Rajitha, Kohli took a single to bring up yet another hundred, his back-to-back hundred in ODIs. He had scored a ton against Bangladesh last month during the third ODI. Kohli`s latest century came off 80 balls and comprised 10 boundaries and a six. His knock came at a strike rate of 125.00. Virat was dismissed by Rajitha for 113, which came of 87 balls.Virat also surpassed Sachin`s record of most ODI hundreds against Sri Lanka by an Indian batter. He has nine centuries against Sri Lanka, as compared to eight by Sachin against the island nation.

Virat also has nine ODI tons against West Indies and eight against Australia. Among the active players, Virat continues being the `Century King`, with a total of 73 tons. Other players that follow him are David Warner (Australia) - 45 Joe Root (England) - 44 Steve Smith (Australia) 42 Rohit Sharma 41 (India). Virat was the highest scorer in the Indian innings with the team batting after Sri Lanka opted to ball first after winning the toss.

India finished at mammoth 373/7 in 50 overs, with Mohammed Shami (4*) and Mohammed Siraj (5*) unbeaten.Skipper Rohit Sharma started the year with a cracking 83 of 67 balls with the innings studded with nine fours and three sixes. Opener Shubman Gill (70 of 60 balls), Shreyas Iyer (28 of 24 balls) and KL Rahul (39 of 29 balls) also contributed some useful scores.

Rajitha finished with figures of 3/88 in ten overs. Madushanka, Chamika Karunaratne, skipper Dasun Shanaka and Dhananjay de Silva took a wicket each. The second ODI will take place on January 12 in Eden Gardens, Kolkata while the second will take place in Greenfield International Stadium at Thiruvananthapuram. (With ANI inputs)