Rahane on Tendulkar’s 100 centuries: ‘Only Virat Kohli can achieve that’ - The Indian Express

On Sunday, Virat Kohli scored his 86th century for India against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram. Sachin Tendulkar is the only cricketer who has managed 100 international centuries, and former Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane said Kohli will also think about achieving that stat. Rahane was also confident that if Kohli is confident, he will achieve the elusive mark.

“I think when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that is when he is at his best. In every innings, he has done that. He has those expectations of himself. That is why he has been able to do it consistently for so many years. Knowing Virat, if he thinks about 100 centuries, there is nothing wrong with it, because his role model has been Sachin Tendulkar. So, I am sure he must be thinking about it. If he thinks about it, only Virat Kohli can achieve that,” Ajinkya Rahane said on Cricbuzz.

Giving insights into Kohli’s mind, Rahane revealed that fans, pundits and former players sometimes perceive that thinking about milestones might make a player selfish, but Rahane said that is what works best for Kohli to put pressure on himself.

“Many times we think that if a player is thinking about milestones, that means he is selfish. But when Virat Kohli puts pressure on himself, that is when he does well. So, I am sure he will have a number on his mind, but at the same time, he will also have the thought that he has to enjoy the game as long as he is playing,” he added.

However, after his blistering 88-ball 139, Kohli revealed that he has never really thought about milestones.

“My focus has never really been on these milestones, so to say. It’s just understanding the situation along the course of just doing the job for the team, whatever. Achievements come along. Obviously, I feel very grateful and very blessed to be in this position, having played for so long,” Virat Kohli said during the post-match presentation.

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