Run-machine Virat Kohli continued to roll as he slammed his 31st ODI century in the first game of the three-match series against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
With that, Kohli surpassed the legendary Australian skipper Ricky Ponting to claim the second spot in ODI list for most centuries.
Kohli is now behind only to Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who occupies the top spot with 49 tons in the 50-over format.
While Kohli has only played 200 matches, Ponting and Tendulkar have 375 and 463 ODIs to their name respectively. Also, the current Indian captain averages a phenomenal 55+, with Tendulkar and Ponting averaging close to 44 and 42 respectively.
Fans and cricket experts applauded Virat for his achievement on Twitter.
Here are some of the best tweets:
Special ODI; special achievement; special player; #notjustafinisher @imVkohli
— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) October 22, 2017
After 200 games, Kohli has 8888 runs at sn average of 55.55 .
What a brilliant 121 this one was. 280 is a fighting total.#INDvNZ— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 22, 2017
Incredible achievement for @imVkohli
Highest score in 200th ODI by any player and most runs by an India captain in a calendar year #INDNZ— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) October 22, 2017
Special ODI; special achievement; special player; #notjustafinisher @imVkohli
— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) October 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/SweetArshi2/status/922066206772867072
What do we say about King Kohli.
Thats 100 no. 31 in his 200th ODI. Stellar numbers and an incredible hunger for runs.#indvsnz— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) October 22, 2017
100 in the 200th game. Goes past Ponting's tally of 30 tons. One of those not so effortless ones from Kohli. Surely special. #INDvNZ 🦁
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) October 22, 2017
ODI century #31 for Kohli in his 200th match. I think he’s getting the hang of it. #INDvNZ
— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) October 22, 2017
Scoring Big At Big Occasions Has Been The Highlight Of @imVkohli's Career, Raising A Toast To Yet Another Brilliant Ton! 👏 #INDvNZ #Virat200 pic.twitter.com/00E0nMka8J
— I S M A I L (@axeweyzed) October 22, 2017
Admire,admire n applaud.What a player Virat Kohli. Milestone or not Virat always makes a mark. Brilliant 100 again! #Virat200 @BCCI #IndvNZ
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) October 22, 2017
This is not just an innings of great skill from Kohli. It is also a tribute to his endurance. It is a century he will remember with pride.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 22, 2017
Hundred #31 by World #1 player on his 200th ODI .What a player #Kohli #INDvNZ
— Abdul Ghaffar 🇵🇰 (@GhaffarDawnNews) October 22, 2017
Take a bow @imVkohli! 31st century on his 200th match. And he is just below @sachin_rt in the list of hundreds scored in ODIs #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/L42zYzkR0Z
— Chennai Times (@ChennaiTimesTOI) October 22, 2017
The crowd with their phones out recording century number 31 in his 200th ODI for @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/zvM1EFBZ6k
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) October 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/MenInBlueDvotee/status/922065108083269632
Always regretted that I couldn't follow the legend Sachin's career since the very start, thank you for the replay Virat Kohli. pic.twitter.com/9Viq2vceiD
— Sand-d Singh (@Sand_In_Deed) October 22, 2017
Come to think of it- Now only God has scored more hundreds than Virat Kohli in ODIs 😮🙏#INDvNZ
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) October 22, 2017
No.31 for Virat Kohli.What unbelievable consistency. Only 200 matches thus far, sky is the limit for what he will achieve in next 9-10 yrs
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) October 22, 2017
What a player 🙌
Virat Kohli hits the 31st ODI century of his career as India push on in Mumbai. #INDvNZ
Live ➡️ https://t.co/WRaOLHPaSG pic.twitter.com/VvVmaKcaNH
— ICC (@ICC) October 22, 2017
200 games .. 8888 runs .. Ave 55.55 .. #Freak @imVkohli .. #JustSaying
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 22, 2017
#INDvNZ – Almost carried his bat through👏, #Viratkohli dismissed for 121. A tenacious knock in his #Virat200.. #Legend @imVkohli
— Kaushik LM (@LMKMovieManiac) October 22, 2017
