Virat Kohli broke Tendulkar's record during India vs New Zealand semi-final on Sunday.
Cricket in India is not merely a sport, it's a religion. Love for cricket in India is not just a passion but an emotion that unites millions. At the heart of this cricket frenzy is Virat Kohli, who broke legend Sachin Tendulkar's record for most ODI centuries. Kohli's journey from a Delhi boy with dreams in his eyes to reaching this milestone has inspired a generation and created a huge fan base. Among them was Shiju Balanandan, who had predicted in 2012 that Kohli will break the record of Tendulkar.
Joy Bhattacharjya shared Balanandan's story on X (formerly Twitter) in which he boldly predicted on Facebook that Kohli will eventually reach the milestone of 50 centuries. He kept updating the post until Kohli's 35th century against South Africa on February 1, 2018. Sadly, he died around that time but his friends kept updating his post and eventually, Balananandan's prediction came true.
The beautiful story touched many hearts online, with users praising Balanandan for the mammoth effort.
"Beautiful," said one user. "Let me start a similar thread for @ShubmanGill now," commented another.
Other users pointed out that Balanandan started the effort from July 2012 and not 2022, as mentioned by Mr Bhattacharjya after which he corrected the mistake in a follow-up tweet.
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Before reaching this milestone, Virat Kohli had a three-year century drought, which he broke in September 2022. The World Cup century (his 50th) became extra special because Kohli scored it on the exact date and venue where Tendulkar played his last international innings.
Kohli's aggressive style has endeared him to fans across the country. In every stroke of his bat, spectators see not just a cricketer but a reflection of their aspirations.
Kohli's contribution to Indian cricket extends beyond his stellar batting performances. As captain, he led the team to historic victories.