 "Twitter reacts to 'run machine' Virat Kohli's 'mature and responsible' century at Cape Town")
India captain Virat Kohli continued from where he left off in the 2nd ODI at Centurion with yet another century in the limited over series to set a 304-run target for South Africa in the 3rd ODI at Cape Town. An extremely measured innings of an almost run-a-ball 160 from Kohli ensured that the Indians posted a respectable score on board. Though the innings got off to a disastrous start after Rohit Sharma departing in the 1st over, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli steadied the innings till the southpaw walked back to the pavilion after scoring a quick-fire 76. While Kohli held fort at one end, South Africa chipped in with wickets at regular intervals in an attempt to restrict the Indian total. However, Kohli’s 34th ODI century was peppered with big shots towards the end of the Indian innings to take it to 303/6. Here’s how many people including stalwarts of the game, past and present, lauded the Indian skipper’s momentous innings on Twitter:
Stepping out on the field and scoring centuries has become a regularity for @imVkohli. Congratulations on your 34th ODI ton! Keep the runs flowing always. #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/4eyuMUpl12
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) February 7, 2018
Well played @imVkohli One of the best ODI 100’s I have seen. Played with a lot of maturity and responsibility especially when the team was under pressure.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 7, 2018
No words to describe Virat Kohli ‘s consistency. Other good batsman look really ordinary once you watch him bat. What a joy to watch him score hundreds for fun. 34 of them now and this , one of his best #INDvSA
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 7, 2018
He’s on a different level this bloke wow. What a player 🙏🙏👍👍🏏🏏@imVkohli https://t.co/SoDyRQajQi
— David Warner (@davidwarner31) February 7, 2018
Amidst the runs that Virat Kohli scores, don't lose sight of his incredible fitness. His boundary percentage is quite low which means he runs a lot between wickets. And still has an excellent strike rate.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 7, 2018
India’s run machine has done it again! 34th ODI 100. What a player!@ImVKohli May this form of yours go on and on! SAvsIND
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) February 7, 2018
Run machine @imVkohli kya baat hai Teri, yeh bandha alag level ka player hai 🙏👏👏👏👏👏⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @BCCI #IndvsSA
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 7, 2018
Yet another 💯 for @imVkohli ... the hunger & consistency is remarkable ... the Greatest ever ODI player ??? #SAvIND
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 7, 2018
Some also mentioned the uncanny similarity with the Indian women’s team who were playing in South Africa against the Proteas’ women’s team that saw opener Smriti Mandhana strike a chanceless century
Today, within a couple of hours of each other...
— Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) February 7, 2018
India Women against South Africa Women: 302/3 (century by @mandhana_smriti)
India Men against South Africa Men: 303/6 (century by @imVkohli)
The 34th century for the Indian skipper was also filled with statistical highlights
Virat Kohli became the first Indian to score 100 or more runs by running in an ODI innings and only the 5th batsman overall.
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) February 7, 2018
In his 160 runs, 100 of them were from 1s (75), 2s (22) and 3s (3) and just 60 from boundaries.
Prev for Ind: 98 by Ganguly (130 v SL 1999)
Highest ODI scores for INDIA in South Africa:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) February 7, 2018
160* - VIRAT KOHLI v SA, Today
152 - Sachin Tendulkar v Namibia, 2003
146 - Sachin Tendulkar v Kenya, 2001
127 - Sourav Ganguly v SA, 2001#SAvIND
Twitter also saw the lighter side of the mammoth feat
Virat Kohli is just Sachin Tendulkar in a rush. #SAvIND
— Sand-d Singh (@Sand_In_Deed) February 7, 2018
Let’s stop spending on space research and launching satellites. As a nation, we need to get our priorities right and try and clone @imVkohli. With two of him, we will never lose another game.
— Indranil Das Blah (@indranildasblah) February 7, 2018
He is already a legend. #SAvIND
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