Former Indian batsman and wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa has shared his thoughts on modern legend Virat Kohli regaining the top spot in both the ODI and Test rankings. Robin Uthappa claimed that it is only a matter of time before Virat Kohli becomes the number one ranked batsman in both ODI and Test cricket in the world.
The Indian team recently completed a 3-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka in the T20I series. Virat Kohli was not part of that series as he had already retired from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup win. He was expected to miss the three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka but was included in the squad along with Rohit Sharma.
The first ODI match between India and Sri Lanka is Virat Kohli’s first match in the current schedule. He was India’s second-highest run-scorer in ODIs last year, behind Shubman Gill. He scored 1,377 runs in 27 matches and won the Player of the Tournament award during the 2023 ODI World Cup on home soil.
It’s just a matter of time before Virat Kohli becomes number one – Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa said that Virat Kohli will regain the top spot in both the ODI and Test rankings. Uthappa is confident that it is only a matter of time before Kohli becomes the number one batsman in both formats globally.
“Do you think Virat Kohli will ever return to the top spot in the ODI and Test rankings?” asked a fan.
“I think Virat Kohli will rise and it is only a matter of time before Virat Kohli becomes the number one batsman in Tests and ODIs in the world,” Robin Uthappa said.
Virat Kohli and Robin Uthappa played together for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Bengaluru-based team reached the final in 2009 and the semi-final in 2010. The duo also played together for the Indian national cricket team.
Virat Kohli’s record against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli made his international debut during India’s tour of the island nation in 2008. The right-handed batsman scored 12 runs off 22 balls in his first ODI match at Dambulla. However, Kohli has since excelled against Sri Lanka. He had standout performances against Sri Lanka in the 50-overs format.
The Delhi-born batsman is fifth among the all-time leading run-scorers in ODIs between India and Sri Lanka. He has scored 2,594 runs in 53 matches at an average of 63.26 and a strike rate of 93.91. He is behind Sachin Tendulkar, who is first on the list, by more than 500 runs. Kohli has impressive stats in other formats against Sri Lanka as well.
The former Indian captain has scored over 1000 runs in 11 Test matches against Sri Lanka, averaging 67.81 and scoring five centuries. In T20Is, his performance is even more impressive. He scored 339 runs in eight matches, averaging 67.80 and a strike rate of 138.36.
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