Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has asserted that the Indian talismanic batter Virat Kohli should stick to his words about playing his last for India in the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 and not consider playing beyond the mega event to get to 100 international centuries.
Notably, on Sunday, September 27, Kohli scored an unbeaten 139 against the West Indies in the first ODI of the three-game series to reach his 86th international century. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin stated that it would be a remarkable achievement if Kohli achieves the landmark by the end of the mega event in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“As a well-wisher, I really want that he hangs up his boots, as he has committed that the 2027 World Cup is his last and his chances of playing are low after that. I am not surprised at all. Keeping this fitness and batting form takes a lot of effort, and I am sure that, behind closed doors, he is doing a lot of work. Maybe he doesn’t want to do it. Even if he wants to play after the World Cup, it does not make any practical sense. Logically, it is possible. But if he really does this, I will take my hat out and it will be a remarkable achievement. If he can do it, I will say both he and Sachin are on the same level without a shadow of a doubt,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Further, Ashwin asserted that comparing players from two different generations is unfair and absolutely sinister, adding that he does not want to compare Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli based on their ODI records.
“I will stick my neck out and say this comparison is wrong on many quadrants. When Virat has played, the rules and situations have changed. When Sachin was playing white-ball for India, the ball was different. For me, the comparison will always be wrong, no matter how many stats or records you keep in front of me. The comparison should not happen at all. I will always pick Sachin. It is not Kohli’s fault. If Kohli had played at No.3 in any generation for India, he would have been a champion player, I have no doubts. To compare people of two generations is absolutely sinister.”
