When a batsman averages 100 or more, we describe his performance as Bradmanesque. But what if he averages 318.00?
This is exactly what Indian skipper Virat Kohli has achieved in the first three one-day internationals, away against South Africa this month.
In the Cape Town ODI, his unbeaten 160 was his 34th century in just 205 ODIs.
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most ODI centuries, 49 in 463 matches, while the only other batsman to record 30 centuries in this format is Australia’s Ricky Ponting, whose 30 came in 375 matches.
Kohli’s ratio of 16.6 centuries per 100 ODIs is the best among these three megastars, with Tendulkar’s coming at 10.6 and Ponting’s at 8.0.
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India have made a fine recovery after being down 2-0 in the Test series, facing a whitewash against the mighty Proteas. However, on a fast bouncy pitch in the third and final Test, at Johannesburg, Kohli made the shock call to select a team without a spinner for the first time in the history of Indian Test cricket.
His gamble paid off, the tourists winning by 63 runs. Encouraged by the Test victory, India routed South Africa by six wickets with 27 balls remaining in the first ODI, at Durban. They followed that with a nine-wicket win with 177 balls in hand in the second ODI, at Centurion.
Then came the 124-run victory in the third ODI, at Cape Town on Wednesday.
As for Kohli, his stunning series average came as a result of scores of 112, 46* and 160*. Unsurprisingly, he is currently the number one batsman in ODIs – just as the side he leads are top of the global rankings in the 50-over game.
The tourists have only to win one of the remaining three ODIs to claim the away series.
Australia should thank India for shattering South Africa’s confidence before Steve Smith’s Ashes-winning team play their first Test, in Durban, starting March 1.
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