IND vs SA: Sachin Tendulkar congratulates Virat Kohli, anticipates his 50th ODI century soon

In the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023 match at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Virat Kohli achieved his 49th ODI century against South Africa, showcasing exceptional patience and adaptability on his 35th birthday. This milestone equals the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's ODI century record of 49 tons, earning widespread acclaim from fans and the cricketing world.

ALSO READ | IND vs SA: Virat Kohli gets his 49th ODI 100 on a tricky Kolkata pitch, equals Sachin Tendulkar's record on his birthday

Tendulkar himself congratulated Kohli on social media and expressed his hope that Kohli would surpass his record in the near future. The legend wrote, "Well played Virat. It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations!!".

The 'Master Blaster' had also posted a birthday wish for the King and wrote, "Virat, may you keep winning hearts with your passion and performances. Wishing you a great year ahead and a very happy birthday".

India, choosing to bat first, witnessed Rohit Sharma's brisk 24-ball 40 and a solid 62-run opening partnership with Shubman Gill (23). Nevertheless, the Proteas made a strong comeback, limiting India to 105 for two after 15 overs. Shreyas Iyer contributed significantly with 77 runs off 87 balls, while KL Rahul managed just 8 runs from 17 balls. 

Suryakumar Yadav also made a valuable contribution with 22 runs off 14 balls while Ravindra Jadeja played a cameo towards the end scoring 29 off 15 balls. India completed their innings with a total of 326 runs on the board in the allotted 50 overs, having lost only five wickets. 

South Africa's bowlers, including Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, and Tabraiz Shamsi, each secured one wicket.