Former India head coach Ravi Shastri was at his best as he went on air during Virat Kohli’s 52nd ODI hundred, saying that the 50-over format is the only one that the latter plays now and he would have
‘silenced’ a lot of people with his performance in Ranchi on Sunday, November 30.
Kohli, now retired from Tests and T20Is, delivered a resounding reply to his critics with a blistering 135 off 120 deliveries, studded with 11 boundaries and seven sixes, guiding the hosts to 349/8 in 50 overs.
However, Shastri did not hold back after Kohli’s hundred. The 1983 World Cup winner declared that the latter had silenced everyone with his blazing century.
A leap of joy ❤️💯
A thoroughly entertaining innings from Virat Kohli 🍿
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— BCCI (@BCCI) November 30, 2025
“It is number 52. Gets it with a boundary. Punches the air in delight. It has been a long wait. This is the format he plays now and he would have silenced a lot of people. His third on the ground,” Shastri said while commentating.
“It has been a brilliant innings, just the way he got there. Just the timing on that shot,” Shastri added.
Kohli reaffirmed his authority and importance in the lone international format he now plays, crafting a fluent 135 that formed the backbone of India’s innings.
Kohli’s commanding 135 came off 120 deliveries, featuring seven sixes and 11 boundaries. His 136-run partnership with Rohit Sharma (57 off 51) for the second wicket laid the foundation for India’s big total on a flat JSCA Stadium track.
With Kohli no longer playing T20Is and India all set to play only six ODIs over the next eight months, every knock he plays in the format now carries added weight.
Kohli answered with trademark authority, reminding the selectors and team management that he remains India’s most reliable batter in the format.
