Virat Kohli is in sensational form in the ongoing three-match ODI series against South Africa, and the Indian superstar has a major milestone within reach. After scoring back-to-back centuries in Ranchi (November 30) and Raipur (December 3), the 37-year-old will look to register a third consecutive hundred in the series decider on December 6 in Visakhapatnam.
If Kohli hits another century at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium, he will equal Babar Azam’s rare record of scoring three consecutive ODI centuries twice in a career — a feat currently owned only by the Pakistan captain.
Babar Azam is the only player in cricket history to record three back-to-back ODI centuries on two separate occasions. Kohli has achieved the trio-on-the-trot landmark once (in 2018 against West Indies), and now has the opportunity to match Babar’s achievement.
Visakhapatnam offers Kohli the perfect stage; the venue has been one of his strongest ODI hunting grounds. He has scored three centuries in seven matches at the stadium.
So far, 12 batters have scored centuries in three consecutive ODIs. But only Babar Azam has done it twice. The list includes names such as Zaheer Abbas, Saeed Anwar, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Ross Taylor, Kumar Sangakkara, Jonny Bairstow, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and others.
