Virat Kohli failed to make a mark in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Bangladesh. The star batter was dismissed by leg-spinner Rishad Hossain for 22 off 38 balls at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
In the chase of 229, Kohli came to the crease when India were 69/1 but he struggled to get into any rhythm before eventually cutting Rishad to backward point.
Ahead of India’s second game against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday (February 23), former spinner Harbhajan Singh has backed Virat Kohli to score a hundred. Harbhajan also promised to perform bhangra if Kohli does achieve the feat.
Kohli enters into the contest on the back of his poor form, having scored just one fifty in his last 6 ODIs. In a bid to change his fortunes, the right-hander came to the practice session on Saturday 90 minutes early and was seen leading the team on the field.
Speaking to India Today, Harbhajan predicted that Kohli will hit his 51st ODI hundred in the match against Pakistan.
"I'm going to make a big prediction and prediction here. How about Virat Kohli getting 100 versus Pakistan? Yeah, so no matter how his last 4 months are gone, people will obviously remember if you go on to get 100 tomorrow. So come on, Cheeku, the whole nation is behind you. I am hoping that you get 100, and I'm going to do bhangra after the game now," said Harbhajan.
Harbhajan expects Kohli to come to the party as the competition gets tougher. He reckons this will be the ideal time for the Indian stalwart to hit form.
"He understands his role. People are looking forward to see Virat Kohli bat and score runs, and the team needs him more than anybody else. And, of course Virat Kohli, when the competition becomes harder, players like him always come to the party, and this is the right time for him to hit the form and good to see him back in the nets early and practising harder than the others," he added.
Virat Kohli's last ODI hundred came in the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
