Watch: Virat Kohli was gifted a special silver bat by a Sri Lankan net bowler at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo ahead of India’s Super Fours game against Pakistan on Saturday, September 9.
Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
Chandramohan Krishan, a Sri Lankan net bowler, gifted Kohli a special silver bat with engravings of all his 76 international centuries after India’s practice session ahead of their Super Fours game against Pakistan in Colombo on September 9.
The memento also contained a special message, where Krishan wished Kohli luck to complete 100 international centuries. It read: “Hey Champ, I just want to see your 100th century in International cricket. I hope you must get it in the future matches. So all the best to you..I hope you like the gift.. Best wishes my dear champ.”
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]
A diehard fan of Kohli, Krishan told that he had been waiting to give this memento to Kohli ever since India’s trip to Sri Lanka, in 2017. He hopes Kohli reaches the landmark of 100 centuries in the next four to five years.
Incidentally, Kohli’s first international century came against Sri Lanka in 2009, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Since then, he has scored at least a hundred in each calendar year except 2020 and 2021, when he suffered a dip in form.
It took him more than a thousand days since his 70th century to reach his 71st, in 2022. However, since then, he has picked up the pace again and has made four centuries in 2023 across formats.
Watch Sri Lankan net bowler Krishan give Virat Kohli a silver bat:
Sri Lankan Net bowler Krishan gifted a silver bat to Virat Kohli.
The message on the bat-
” Hey Champ, I just want to see your 100th century in International cricket.I hope you must get it in future. So all the best to you..I hope you like the gift Best wishes to you my champ” pic.twitter.com/y3j7PP7DKD
— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) September 11, 2023