Sachin vs Kohli: Five Mind-Blowing Coincidences

We often commit the mistake of comparing eras. It is quite usual to see the changing dynamics of the game between generations, be it the new rules with the increased size of bats or the use of two balls in white-ball cricket, or the depreciated quality of bowling attacks in modern times. The game has changed massively in recent times, and is seen by many as being dominated by the batsmen.

If it was Sir Don Bradman in his time, Sir Viv Richards during 70s and 80s, Sachin Tendulkar during 90s and post 2000, then it is Virat Kohli now who is gradually inching to attain similar glory in his time period as a cricketer.

With the kind of aura Kohli has formed in recent times, he has been often compared to his idol in Sachin Tendulkar. But it is unfair to draw comparisons between the two cricketing greats. However, it is easier to talk merely about their numbers, despite their greatness in their respective eras.

We take a look at some of the scintillating numbers that depict certain coincidences between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli:

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#1 Second ODI century vs Australia

Australia v India

Australia have been known for their aggressive brand of cricket, which they have fancied playing ever since the inception of the game. This, in turn, has got the best out of most of the Indian batsmen who have looked to give it back to the opposition. Even the Australians agree to the fact of facing their toughest competition against the Indians.

Tendulkar, who achieved huge success against Australia merely due to the toughness that he showed against them, as did Kohli, who likes challenges and takes them in his stride towards success. Both of them strike a huge similarity in that their second ODI ton came against Australia. They scored exactly 100 runs including 7 sixes in their innings with India chasing a target within 45 overs on both the occasions. It could be a mere coincidence, but the kind of performance both of them put in against Australia is a mark of the player brimming with quality.

#2 Third ODI Century vs New Zealand was a 150+ score

In their 3rd century against New Zealand, both of them registered a 150+ score to guide their teams to victory. It was in 1999-00 in Hyderabad, when India registered a mammoth total of 376 runs courtesy a fluent 186-run knock by the Little Master. India went onto win the game by a huge margin of 174 runs as Sachin was fittingly the Player of the Match.

While Virat achieved this feat in 2016 at Mohali to propel his side to victory. Chasing 286 to win, Kohli’s superb knock of 154* and a useful contribution by MS Dhoni, paved the way for an easy India win by 7 wickets. For his stupendous efforts, Kohli was also adjudged the Player of the Match.

#3 Three Centuries each against Sri Lanka at R.Premadasa Stadium

Indian batsmen have always enjoyed themselves against their neighbour Sri Lanka. At times people developed a myth of India’s deliberate tours against Sri Lanka to allow them to gain confidence and improve their batting averages against a below-par Sri Lankan attack. It has been only after the retirement of Muralitharan that the Island nation has seen a dip in their bowling stocks.

Sachin and Virat, both have three centuries against Sri Lanka at the R.Premdasa Stadium in Sri Lanka. Also, they boast a record a scoring eight centuries against Sri Lanka in their entire career. Virat might get the opportunity to go past Tendulkar’s record of eight centuries against the Islanders in the upcoming games in his career.

#4 Two scores of the 90s as India Skipper in ODI Cricket

Sachin was burdened by the hopes of millions of Indian fans, who always wanted to see him score a century every time he came out to bat in India colours. Similar is the fan following for Virat, who carries a lot of responsibility not only as a batsman but also as the skipper of the Indian team. At times, the pressure gets the better of the batsman as he approaches a milestone during his innings.

Even the best sometimes fail to cop it and are caught in the nervous nineties. Tendulkar struggled on many occasions when he made it to the nineties, denying him a lot of centuries. But it was for a couple of occasions when he missed the magical three-figure mark while captaining the side. Even Virat, in his career so far as India captain in ODI cricket, has failed to convert his score of 90 into a hundred on just two occasions.

#5 58th International century vs England with a score of 103

This one perhaps shows how Kohli is almost exactly following in Tendulkar's footsteps. If Tendulkar got to his 58th century in international cricket vs England with a score of 103, then even Virat did the same to achieve his 58th international ton with an exact same score.

The only difference between the two was the end result as India ended on the winning side when Virat scored a century, but the match was drawn when Tendulkar achieved the feat at Ahmedabad in 2001-02 in the 2nd Test of the series.