Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has always been the ideal batsman of Virat Kohli. Sachin and Virat can be counted among the all-time great batsmen of Indian cricket. In last year’s World Cup, Virat had left behind Sachin’s records of scoring most centuries in ODIs and most runs in a World Cup. After breaking both these records, some fans have started considering Virat better than Sachin but ‘King Kohli’ has humbly said, ‘Sachin is far ahead of our generation. No player of today’s era can be compared with him. I have grown up watching his batting. I can never match my hero. He (Sachin) has been perfect in terms of batting.
Apart from international matches, Sachin and Virat have given immense happiness to the fans with their performance in the Indian Premier League also. After Team India’s 4-1 resounding victory in the Test series against England, the eyes of the fans are now focused on IPL 2024, which is scheduled to start from March 22. Sachin played in IPL from 2008 to 2013 and scored 2334 runs in 78 matches at an average of 34.84 and strike rate of 119.82, which included one century.
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On the other hand, Virat Kohli is still playing IPL and has scored 7 centuries in 237 matches at an average of 37.25 and an average of 130.02. There are such coincidences associated with the first IPL century of these two players that you may be surprised to know.
Both had scored a century on the last ball of the innings, the score was also the same
Sachin Tendulkar scored his first and only century in the IPL on 15 April 2011 for Mumbai Indians against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, while Virat achieved this feat on 24 April 2016 at Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was achieved by Challengers Bangalore against Gujarat Lions. The main similarity between these centuries of Sachin and Virat was that both were completed on the last ball of the innings and the score of both the batsmen was the same. Both Sachin and Virat remained unbeaten after scoring 100 runs. Both of them scored this century while playing more than 60 balls. Sachin’s century was completed in 66 balls and Virat’s in 63 balls.
Both were the captain and opener of their team
In both these matches, Sachin and Virat were the captains of their team and came to start the innings. These similarities do not end here. Mumbai Indians against Kerala Tuskers and Royal Challengers against Gujarat Lions, both the teams lost two wickets each and in both the matches, Sachin’s MI and Virat’s RCB had to face defeat. Both the batsmen had scored this score against the teams entering the IPL for the first time. Let us tell you, in the 2011 season, Kochi Tuskers and in the 2016 season, Gujarat Lions franchise played in the tournament for the first time.
One half-century each was scored by both MI and RCB
Apart from Sachin’s century, one half-century was scored in the match between Mumbai Indians and Kerala Tuskers. This half-century was scored by Ambati Rayudu (53). Similarly, in the match between RCB and Gujarat Lions, apart from Virat’s century, a half-century was scored. KL Rahul played an unbeaten inning of 51 runs for Virat’s team.
McCullum and Ravindra Jadeja were included in the opposition team in both the matches
In these matches of MI and RCB, the opposition team included Brendon McCullum and Ravindra Jadeja. In both the matches, McCullum started the opposition innings. Opening the innings in the 2011 match against MI, McCullum scored unbeaten 81 runs while in the 2016 match against RCB he scored 42 runs. Jadeja did not get any wicket in both the matches. Not only this, the color of the T-shirts of both the teams Kochi Tuskers and Gujarat Lions was orange.
