“Think about how obsessed we are with a hundred” - When Gautam Gambhir praised Virat Kohli’s epic knock in 2023 ODI World Cup

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir criticized the fans' fixation on centuries while praising Virat Kohli during the 2023 ODI World Cup. The game in question was India's toughest challenge yet in the league stage against New Zealand at Dharamsala.

Chasing a daunting 274 for victory, Kohli produced another masterclass in a run-chase, scoring 95 off 104 deliveries. However, his dismissal came five runs short of what would have been his 49th ODI century, levelling the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

It had the batter himself and fans upset, but Gambhir took the opposite route when reacting to the knock.

Talking to Star Sports, he said (via Royalchallengers.com):

"Think about how obsessed we are with a hundred that we have stopped remembering the 95-run knock. He has won the match. It doesn't matter if it was going to be the 49th or 100th hundred. Praise him because he won you the match. Zero to 95 is a big journey. Praise him because of the pressure under which he batted. We need to say repeatedly that the obsession with stats needs to end if India has to win the World Cup."

Kohli's 95 helped India remain unbeaten until that point in the tournament as they completed a four-wicket win with two overs to spare.

Virat Kohli's dream 2023 ODI World Cup ended in heartbreak

India v Australia: Final - ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 - Source: Getty

Virat Kohli enjoyed a dream run with the bat through the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. The now-36-year-old finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 765 runs at an average of over 95, including three centuries.

The champion batter completed a historic 50th ODI century in the semifinal win over New Zealand. Kohli became the first cricketer to reach the landmark.

Unfortunately, his run at a second ODI World Cup title came to a heartbreaking climax, as the Men in Blue suffered a six-wicket loss to Australia in the grand finale at Ahmedabad. Nevertheless, Virat Kohli was adjudged the Player of the World Cup for his remarkable consistency with the willow.

Cut to the present, and the veteran batter remains available to play only ODIs for India, having retired from T20Is and Tests. However, his participation in the 2027 World Cup remains uncertain, per the latest reports.