Virat Kohli Breaks Silence On Sachin Tendulkar Comparisons After Historic ODI Feat
Virat Kohli has spoken strongly about Sachin Tendulkar, quelling comparisons with the former great batsman who was his childhood inspiration. The comments follow Kohli's disclosures that the 2027 World Cup will be his last World Cup in view of his ODI milestone of 15,000 runs.
In an exclusive interview, Virat Kohli admitted to the media presence of Sachin Tendulkar's comparisons with his own and said that he has no other way of looking at his career, as compared to the public. Kohli, who had an interview segment with JioStar, said he had a lot of admiration for Tendulkar and called him his grandfather in cricket.
Kohli's remarks followed when he had just become the second player in the history of the game to cross the milestone of 15,000 ODI runs. He has achieved this 74 innings earlier to reach the milestone, a record set at the match against the West Indies at the series opener.
Kohli's approach to the game and his passion for the sport overall appear boundless as he gets closer to a number of records, Tendulkar among them, but insisted that he's not driven by personal records. He also stated that the 2027 ODI World Cup would be his “last World Cup” for the Indian cricket team.
In Kohli's words, it demonstrates a respect for Tendulkar and his desire to stay on his own path, rather than making stats comparisons.
Our Take
Kohli's statements tell an engrossing tale about one of cricket's most frequent comparisons. Even his statistical returns get him compared to Tendulkar, but Kohli has always said that the main thing is to play the game of his own. With his tally crossing 15,000 ODI runs, one can expect to add another major mark in his career, and after confirming that the 2027 World Cup is his next, he has shown his absolute potential at the international level.