Keep playing…"Virat” the King

 

Keep playing…"Virat” the King

The crowd in the stadium, millions worldwide on TV, all eyes waiting for yet another century. An innings worth more than a century paved the way for a thrilling victory for India in the 1st One day Internationals. 

The second. One day, it was not Virat’s big day, and India couldn't continue the winning momentum.

In the 1st game at Vadodara, Virat's 93 glorious runs are again a testimony to the greatness of the man who deserves the maximum in World Cricket. No doubt he is the G.O.A.T of the white ball game.

28000 international runs in ODI;

Highest run-getter in white ball Cricket

45 man of the match awards, testifies Virat as the Champion of Champions. 

Keep playing King Kohli, the World of Cricket awaits to celebrate 100 centuries in International Cricket. 

One Day Internationals: India vs New Zealand; The first two games. first two games.

The newly built Cricket stadium at Vadodara saw a thrilling encounter, with India winning the game in the penultimate over. 

Virat the crusader:

The New Zealand team looked not in their known domain and was a mix of experienced and upcoming players. Every team is cautious to form and frame the best team for the upcoming T20 World Cup, and there are a few players who are rested from the current ODI series. For India, the best team is playing with a few omissions. It is still believed that Jasprit Bumrah will be a forceful weapon for ODIs, and Axar Patel, the useful all-rounder, should also be back in the squad. Hardik Pandya is the other most useful player who needs to be in the ODI squad.

The day started excellently for New Zealand. Indian opening bowlers couldn't provide the breakthrough till 117 runs. Both the opening batters scored a fifty each before Harshit Rana put the brakes on with his splendid incoming deliveries. 

The visitors lost 5 quick wickets with decent Indian bowling. New Zealand folded at 300, losing 8 wickets with Daryl Mitchell being the highest scorer with  84 runs.

India started on a promising note. Rohit Sharma displayed his intentions to play a balanced knock, and his controlled aggression produced some great shots, and in the run became the highest hitter of sixes.

Indian Captain Shubman Gill, coming back after injury, scored a well-composed fifty and, along with Virat Kohli, provided some enthralling and entertaining match-winning partnership of 118 runs. 

It was another master class from the champion batsman Virat, whose every stroke was filled with cricketing songs. The articulation of each shot was nicely blended to produce some thrilling hits to the rope. The best chase master in the white ball cricket once again proved why he is rated in the top bracket in the league of greatness. Virat showed his class as the best in the format, combined with his agility, physical fitness, and ability to produce shots as per the situation, which has won millions heart. Virat and the comeback man, Shreyas Iyer, returning after a threatening injury, scored a classy innings of 49 runs.

Virat, well set for another milestone in his career to reach his 85th International century, was unfortunate to complete the shot over the mid-on fielder and perished on his personal score of 93 runs. The cheering and bubbling spectators at the stadium were dumbfounded to see Virat perishing without completing his well-deserved century. India won the game with KL Rahul ending with one long hit over the fence. 

Kyle Jamieson was the most successful of the lot with 4 wickets in his kitty. His bowling was instrumental for all three Indian batting greats, Rohit, Virat, and Shreyas. Earlier in the New Zealand innings, Md Siraj, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna took two wickets each.

Virat was very humble and modest as he mentioned in post match ceremony his hard work to reach this level in his career and bringing smiles to his endless fans and Cricket lovers.

The next game played at Rajkot started on a promising note with India batting first after Shubman Gill lost the toss and was put into bat. 

The story of a crisis man: Who wins Daryl Mitchell or KL Rahul?

Rohit Sharma started cautiously but couldn't continue his rhythm and perished at his score of 24 runs. Gill, on the other hand, continued from where he left off in the 1st ODI. He played some scintillating shots in his well-made 56 of 53 balls. Lapse of concentration brought his downfall.

Virat showed intent in the 1st delivery he faced with a flamboyant cover drive racing towards the boundary left even the visitors amused.  Shreyas started slowly with watchful eyes but was deceived by the slowness of the wicket from the early, easy-paced wicket. 115 for 3, and India were in distress.

All eyes were on the Champion batter to score majestically and inch towards that coveted figure, but as luck would have it, the ball came slow, kept a shade low, and Virat, trying to steer it, dragged the ball to his stumps. The silence in the stadium marked the departure of the King, nodding his head, disapproving of the way he got out at 23 runs. Suddenly India were 118 for 4.

It was left to KL Rahul and Jadeja to steer through the innings and put India in a commanding position till the partnership worked, and at 191, it was Jadeja to depart. The bottom hand came into play repeatedly in two consecutive games. 

KL Rahul once again proved that he is the crisis man. Time and again, he has proved to rescue India whenever there is a need, and more so when both Virat and Rohit couldn't produce their best show. His 112 runs of 92 balls gave India a fighting total of 284 runs. Kris Klarke, the most successful bowler, took 3 wickets.

New Zealand found their crisis man while chasing the Indian total. Young (87) and Daryl Mitchell brought an extraordinary, sensible innings, scoring 131 runs off 117 balls. New Zealand, riding on the big partnership of these two batters and a late burst by Phillips, sailed through to win the game.

Indian bowling looked out of their superlative best, fielding had a mixed performance with Prasidh missing a sitter and Jadeja a run out. Both proved to be very costly. The captainship also looked out of the woods as Gill had no options. Nitish Reddy was not in his usual self. Why Hardik or Axar Patel are not in the team is not understood. Is it because of the T20 World Cup?

Definitely, this is a clinical result, a successful run chase by New Zealand, and first ever victory on Indian soil. 

New Zealand, with its mixed lineup, has a new bowling lineup that has definitely overtaken India's bowling by all means. Daryl Mitchell, man of the match in this game, is really becoming a nemesis for India.

The next game between India and New Zealand, which levels the series, remains the decider of the series. The home team would like to continue the winning streak till the 2027 World Cup and to find the right balance to keep winning.

The road ahead in One Day Internationals.

India prepares for the 2027 World Cup, and amidst the ensuing T20 World Cup 2026 and in the latter half of 2026, preparation for the ICC World Test 2027 Championship begins. The Indian Cricketing calendar is vibrant with all the planned fixtures coupled with IPL 2026. 

The tentative fixtures for One Day International in 2026 mention 18 games (including the current series vs New Zealand), thereby providing the countless supporters of Indian Cricket and especially of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to witness them playing their best Cricket before the next World Cup.

It is said time and again that the class is permanent; the best also have to face trials and challenges in each game, playing each delivery. But the critics do have a point to ponder with each failure, without understanding the glorious uncertainties of the game.

Sanjay Manjrekar and a few others, it seems, are now debating on the batting position in One Day Internationals to ascertain the greatness of a player. Opening batters or Virat at number 3, or the game finishers at number 4 or number 5 & number 6; who weighs more?

It is surprising and equally funny to note their comments, whether it is for MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, and now others in the Indian team, to compare with the top order batters. Such critics do not dare to mention the name of Sachin Tendulkar, who always opened the innings in ODIs and has played some of the greatest innings.

Cricket is missing the Champions in its original format:

The sublime form, the surrealistic touch creating a dreamlike atmosphere, mesmerizing millions of fans, only speaks of the reality that Virat provides wherever he plays. The crowds cheer for Virat, await to see the Virat-Rohit duo, the entwined twins, killing the opposition with their superb musical bonding. 

Each stadium is a symbol of blue waves, the shirts etched with the names of Virat-Rohit resonate their charisma, the hypnotic power, which no other pair has presented in Indian Cricket.

It is a sad end to the red ball game for World Cricket, when two of their gems have gone for premature retirement, particularly Virat, who seems to be in the fittest physical and mental mode. The energy and stamina speak of the accomplishments, discipline, and zeal to perform to the best of one's ability is something to be seen to be believed.

Cricket will continue to produce gems and unforgettable innings, but to have another Virat and Virat-Rohit duo is beyond our dreams. Let us enjoy the moments with both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma playing together in One Day Internationals, leading to the 2027 World Cup.

The milestones:

It is in the mind of every Cricket lover, whether or not Virat can reach the ultimate of scoring 100 Centuries while playing only one format. Considering the balance of 16 games in 2026 and around 10 games in 2027 till the World Cup 2027, it looks difficult but not impossible for Virat to score another 16 centuries from his current level of 84 centuries, combining all formats.

Virat has already achieved the highest run getter in white-ball cricket, the second highest run getter after Virat Kohli combining all formats, the second highest century holder combining all formats after Sachin, and the highest century getter in white-ball cricket & One Day Internationals. He expects to score more centuries to inch towards the three-figure mark.

Leaving test cricket at a time when he still had two years left till 2027 to take India to the ICC World Test Championships would have earned him a few more accolades. Virat deserves to complete a minimum of 10000 runs in Test cricket. Few couldn't swallow these successes, and thus created a stage where Virat took his own decision, though prematurely. Rohit Sharma also had to suffer for a few such characters who never wanted him to be at the helm of affairs.

Conclusion:

The World Of Cricket awaits to observe the T20 World Cup Cricket 2026, followed by the planned ODI and Test series in 2026 and also in 2027, till the ICC WTC 2027 and WC 2027. In July 2027, both the icons will be playing for the last time at Lord's, the center of Cricket. The emotions that run in everyone’s mind will only direct them to enjoy the moment and not to feel the vacuum forever.

The number one batsman in ICC rankings during 2013, 2017, 2019, 2021, and now again the topper in 2026, Virat plays, and India wins, is becoming a phrase in the Indian Cricket scenario.

Had the Indian think tank and the team management been magnanimous in their thought process and wisdom, nobody on earth would have wanted to force both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to say goodbye to the red cherry and continue only in one format. Both of them are being badly missed in the red-ball game, and Virat, more for his tremendous fitness, stamina, and the form he is displaying, only corroborates the fact that Virat still is the best in all formats.

Only time will tell what wrongdoings are being practiced by the current regime towards selections, and also forcing a few into the playing XI.

Our hope and only desire is to see India reach and win the World Championships in all three formats in the build up till 2027.