New Delhi – Nov. 30 (LatestNewsX) – Former India star Mohammad Kaif praised Virat Kohli’s explosive performance in the first ODI against South Africa and noted that the veteran batsman “has a zidd to prove his critics wrong.” Kohli began his innings aggressively, reached 22 off just 20 balls, and then went on to hit his 76th ODI fifty in only 48 deliveries – a half‑century that included a six over the bowling of Corbin Bosch. He then powered on to a century in the 38th over, smacking another boundary.
Kaif shared his thoughts on X: “Virat Kohli has a zidd to prove his critics wrong… King for a reason.”
In the same match, Kohli and former captain Rohit Sharma shattered the all‑time Indian record for most test and one‑day games played together, a pair that had previously held the record with Sangaree Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Kohli was on his 306th ODI, while Rohit reached his 277th, and the duo’s 392nd appearance together eclipsed the 391 matches played by the legendary duo from 1996 to 2012.
Rohit and Kohli also recorded a 136‑run partnership for the second wicket after opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed by Nandre Burger with the score at 25. It marked the 20th time the pair had added a hundred-plus partnership.
Kaif also lauded Rohit’s 57‑run knock, during which he broke Shahid Afridi’s world record for most sixes in ODIs by smashing three maximums. During the 15th over, Rohit hit Prenelan Subrayen twice for consecutive sixes, the first of which pushed his tally to 350 career sixes – the only Indian batsman to do so in the 50‑over format. The second hit matched Afridi’s record for the most ODI sixes.
On X, Kaif added: “Rohit Sharma is letting his bat do the talking and telling the world that age is just a number. What a player.”
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