BCCI President Sourav Ganguly lauded former India captain Virat Kohli ahead of his milestone 100th Test match which will happen when India takes on Sri Lanka in the first Test match from March 4 in Mohali.
Ganguly, who was recently at odds with Kohli over the latter’s unceremonious dumping as India’s ODI captain, said that he knows what a momentous an occasion it would be for Virat Kohli when he steps out to play his 100th Test, but he was confident that the superstar batter will celebrate greater milestones going forward in his career.
The 33-year-old Kohli will become the 12th Indian cricketer after Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Ishant Sharma to play 100 Tests.
“It’s a huge landmark in Indian cricket, playing 100 Test matches is something that you dream of when you start playing cricket for your country. It’s a great moment for Virat, it’s momentous for Indian cricket.
I have personally been in that 100 Test match situation and I realise, how momentous and how humongous the occasion can be. Virat has had a great journey, exceptional achievements, starting 11 years ago. On behalf of the BCCI and also as a former captain who has played 100 Tests, I wish him all the best. He has had a fantastic career. He still has time to achieve greater milestones,” Ganguly was seen saying in a video shared by BCCI.
Kohli made his Test debut in 2011 and rose through the ranks to become one of the finest Test captains of India. He helped India win the series in Australia in 2018-19 and came really close in winning in England where they are still leading 2-1.
(PTI inputs)
