A beaming Rajkumar Sharma, Kohli’s childhood coach, told PTI that he hoped the run-in for the star India batter now ends after Kohli sent them into ecstasy against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. Kohli hit his 51st ODI century to catalyze his team’s all-important critical six-wicket victory over Pakistan on Sunday in Dubai, which put India very much on the verge of the semifinals. Saying “Ab to nahi poochhoge ki Virat form mein nahi hai? (I hope, you won’t ask me that Virat is not in form),” Sharma told ‘PTI Videos’. This was Kohli’s first century in the One Day Internationals since November in 2020. Kohli is also being heavily criticized by some quarters for not posting enough 100s in the last two years.

His assertion was that Kohli has never lost his form.

“I said he is a big match player and today he has proved that. He has always performed against tough opposition,” Sharma said of Kohli’s unbeaten 100 that also earned him the player of the match award on Saturday night.

“For so many years, he has been doing it. He is the one who has closed most games for this country,” he said.

While going on to become the fastest to 14,000 runs in One Day Interntionals ever during his innings, he now goes behind only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara in the all-time listings. Sharma takes pride from this milestone as well.

“Apart from being his 51st ODI and 82nd overall century, he has also scored 14,000 mobile license runs in ODI cricket. That in itself is a big achievement, and I am proud of him that he has made the whole country proud; we all are happy that he has given happiness to the entire nation,” he said.

When asked what he would suggest the coach to do from here on with regard to clinching a title, the coach said: “Look, he is such a senior guy who has played so long compared to us.

“He knows what is right and what needs to be done, what role he has to play in the team, and he has been delivering. He knows his role in the team.”