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Having missed the T20I against Sri Lanka, Virat Kohli will return to action when Team India take on the visitors in a three-match ODI rubber starting at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on January 10.
The 34-year-old possesses an excellent ODI record, having scored 12471 runs in 265 matches at an average of 57.47 and a strike rate of 93.01, with 44 hundreds and 64 half-centuries to his name.
The right-handed batter has an even better record against Sri Lanka. In 47 ODIs against the Lankans, he has notched up 2220 runs, including eight centuries, at an average of 60. Kohli has played 10 ODIs against Sri Lanka at home, scoring 552 runs at an average of 69, with two hundreds.
In ODIs versus the Lankans away from home, Kohli has hit 862 runs in 20 games at an average of 53.87, crossing the 100-mark four times.
At neutral venues, the former India captain has featured in 17 ODIs against the neighboring country, scoring 806 runs at an average of 62, with two centuries.
As Kohli prepares to resume his ODI battle against the Lankans, we revisit his top five knocks versus the island nation in the 50-over format.
#5 107 off 114 (Eden Gardens, December 2009)
Kohli’s maiden ODI century came against Sri Lanka, and fittingly, in a chase of 300-plus. The Lankans won the toss and batted first at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the fourth match of the five-game series. The visitors posted an impressive 315/6 on the back of Upul Tharanga’s 118.
In response, the Men in Blue lost Virender Sehwag (10) and Sachin Tendulkar (eight) early. However, Kohli, coming in at No. 4, gave an early indication of his chasing prowess. He absorbed the pressure and played a mature knock, scoring 107 off 114 balls, striking 11 fours and a six.
The right-handed batter played the perfect foil to Gautam Gambhir (150* off 137). The Delhi duo added 224 for the third wicket to set up India’s seven-wicket win.
Kohli got to his maiden ODI hundred by guiding Tillakaratne Dilshan wide of midwicket for a single. It was the first of many to follow.
#4 108 off 120 (Mirpur, March 2012, Asia Cup)
Kohli set up India’s win in the second match of the 2012 Asia Cup in Mirpur with a well-compiled century. Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to field first in the game. Coming in at the customary No. 3 position, Kohli guided the innings with 108 off 120 balls. Although he hit only seven fours, he rotated the strike well and ensured he scored at a decent pace.
The ace batter featured in another big stand with Gambhir (100 off 118), this time adding 205 for the second wicket. Kohli reached three figures in the 42nd over of India’s innings, pushing a length ball from Nuwan Kulasekara on the off side for a single. His fine knock ended in the next over when miscued a stroke to sweeper cover off Farveez Maharoof’s bowling.
Fine cameos from MS Dhoni (46* off 26) and Suresh Raina (30* off 17) took India to 304/3. Irfan Pathan (4/32), Vinay Kumar (3/55), and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/39) then combined to restrict Sri Lanka to 254 in 45.1 overs.
#3 139* off 126 (Ranchi, November 2014)
Another hundred in another successful chase! Sri Lanka batted first after winning the toss in Ranchi in the fifth ODI of the five-match series in November 2014. A brilliant 139* off 116 balls from Angelo Mathews lifted the visitors to a competitive 286/8.
In response, India got off to a horror start, losing Ajinkya Rahane for two and Rohit Sharma for nine. However, Kohli once again proved to be a thorn in Sri Lanka’s flesh. He anchored the chase to near perfection, scoring 139* off 126 balls, hitting 12 fours and three sixes.
Leading the side, the prolific batter featured in a third-wicket stand of 136 with Ambati Rayudu (59). Following Rayudu’s run-out, Ajantha Mendis picked up four wickets in quick succession as India slipped to 231/7.
Kohli, though, guided India home in the company of Axar Patel (17*). He brought up victory in style for India, smacking Mendis for two sixes in the penultimate over.
#2 131 off 96 (Colombo, August 2017)
Kohli scored a scintillating 131 off only 96 balls in Colombo in August 2017 in the fourth ODI of the five-match series. The Men in Blue won the toss and elected to bat first this time. Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed for 4 in the second over. Kohli, however, demonstrated terrific hitting form, striking 17 fours and two sixes.
The No. 3 batter featured in a second-wicket stand of 219 with Rohit Sharma (104 off 88) as India put up a mammoth 375/5 on the board. Kohli was in attacking mode from the word go, clubbing Vishwa Fernando for three consecutive fours in the fourth over.
The Delhi dasher did not look back after that and raced to a 76-ball 100, whipping a short ball from Milinda Siriwardana for four over the square leg boundary. He was dismissed by Lasith Malinga at the start of the 30th over. Had he batted on for another 10 overs, he could have easily crossed 200.
Responding to India’s mammoth total, Sri Lanka were never in the hunt and folded up for 207 in 42.4 overs, going down by a massive 168 runs.
#1 133* off 86 (Hobart, February 2012, Commonwealth Bank Series)
Easily Kohli’s finest ODI knock against Sri Lanka considering the circumstances. In a must-win clash at the Commonwealth Bank Series in February 2012, the Men in Blue needed to chase down 321/3 in 40 overs in Hobart to stay in the hunt for a place in the final. Thanks to Kohli’s heroics, India got home in 36.4 overs.
Batting first, Sri Lanka put up 320/4 courtesy of centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan (160) and Kumar Sangakkara (105). Kohli’s blitz, however, overshadowed both the brilliant knocks. The Indian batter clobbered 16 fours and two sixes, striking at 154.65.
Kohli warmed up by easing to his half-century off 44 balls. He began going berserk in the 31st over, hammering Kulasekara for three consecutive fours. He then stunned the Lankans by taking on Malinga, walloping him for a six and four fours off successive deliveries in the 35th over.
India raced past the finish line in Malinga’s next over as Kohli, fittingly, struck consecutive fours.
Also Read: 3 reasons why the India-Sri Lanka ODI series could be defining for KL Rahul
