‘Sacrifice runs for Virat Kohli’: Sunil Gavaskar’s big push on Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer

Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has joined the debate over Virat Kohli’s pursuit of 100 international centuries, suggesting that a teammate making personal sacrifices to help the star reach the milestone would also bring joy to Indian cricket fans.Kohli was in great touch during the first ODI against New Zealand, smashing 74 off just 51 deliveries to steer India to victory in a low-scoring contest. However, Gavaskar has raised an interesting possibility in his latest column for Midday: if Kohli stays at the crease for longer, skipper Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer might find themselves in a difficult position.With India closing in on the target, both batsmen may have had to choose between ending the match quickly and giving Kohli a chance to reach his century. The prospect becomes even more significant with Kohli chasing the historic mark of 100 international hundreds.Gavaskar acknowledged that winning the match must remain the team’s primary objective, but argued that helping a player reach such a milestone, provided it did not jeopardize the result, could be a moment of collective celebration.“Indians have always loved the boards and so there is always a debate about the rights and wrongs of going for them. One thing is for sure, 99% of those who say they don’t play for the boards are actually incapable of the talent and temperament to set them up, so it’s easy for them to say so,” Gavaskar wrote.“There is not a single Indian cricket fan who doesn’t want Kohli to get to 100 international centuries. We are all rooting for him to get there and so if there is an opportunity where some other teammate sacrifices his runs to enable him to get there, the glory will not be only Kohli’s but all the Indian cricket fans,” he added.Kohli eventually fell for 74 with India at 124/3 in a rain-affected contest, leaving the team with relatively little to do in the chase. His dismissal also meant that Gill and Iyer did not have to face the possibility of managing the chase around his personal milestone.Gavaskar felt both players were spared a potentially embarrassing situation, including the prospect of facing criticism from fans on social media, if India delayed sealing victory to give Kohli a chance to complete his hundred.“Kohli got out in the 70s. So Gill and Iyer were spared any blow if the winning runs were scored by not hitting Kohli in the 90s. Yes, it is a team game, but it is also good for the team when one of its members, especially a star player, reaches a personal milestone without affecting the team’s chances of victory,” Gavaskar pointed out.Now playing only ODIs, Kohli has 86 international centuries to his name. He is chasing a landmark that remains exclusive to Sachin Tendulkar, the only batsman to score 100 international hundreds.

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