Team India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has lavished praise on his teammate and star batter Virat Kohli ahead of his 300th ODI appearance in the Champions Trophy 2025 Group A match against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 2. Virat Kohli will become the sixth Indian player after Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni to feature in 300 ODI matches when he walks out on to the field during India's final group stage match against New Zealand. This is another feather to the Indian batting stalwart’s cap, who began his journey in ODI cricket against Sri Lanka in 2008. In the 299th match of his ODI career, Virat Kohli played an unbeaten innings of 100 off 111 balls to help India chase down a 242-run target in 42.3 overs against Pakistan in the high-stakes Champions Trophy clash. Also read: Champions Trophy 2025: How Virat Kohli changed his batting technique to return to form after Australia tour?Speaking at the press conference ahead of the match against New Zealand, KL Rahul expressed his admiration for Virat Kohli while stating that words are not enough to explain the kind of player he has been for India. He added that Kohli is an ‘important’ senior player that players look up to. “Words fall short of explaining the kind of player he has been… that’s a lot of games, international games and he has been a great great player. An important senior player who we always look up to. Hopefully, many more 100s are left in him," Rahul said. Virat Kohli made his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in 2008 and went on to establish himself as one of the greatest batters to have played the shorter format of the game. During his 100-run knock, the 36-year-old achieved the feat of becoming the fastest player to score 14,000 ODI centuries, completing the milestone in 287 innings. He was also the third batter after legendary cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. Kohli holds the record of 51 centuries in the history of ODI cricket. In 299 matches, Virat Kohli has amassed 14085 runs, including 51 centuries and 73 fifties, at an average of 58.20. After a century knock against India’s arch-rivals Pakistan, Virat Kohli will be looking to carry on his form into the remaining matches, especially the final group stage match against New Zealand and the semifinal. After scoring just 22 runs in India’s opening match against Bangladesh, the questions were raised about his form. However, the former India captain silenced his critics with a magnificent century against Pakistan. Virat Kohli will look to play a crucial role in India’s remaining matches as the Men in Blue are pushing themselves for the Champions Trophy title, which they last won in 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Virat Kohli has a good record in the Champions Trophy, amassing 651 runs, including a century and five fifties, at an average of 93 in 15 matches. In the ongoing edition of the marquee event, Kohli has aggregated 122 runs, including a century, at an average of 122 in two matches.Also read: IND vs NZ, Champions Trophy: KL Rahul dismisses concerns over Rohit Sharma's injury ahead of New Zealand clash