On Thursday, July 20, 2023, as Virat Kohli takes the field in the second India vs West Indies in Trinidad, he will reach a new milestone of 500 international matches for India.
Virat Kohli made his ODI debut in 2008, soon after leading India to the Under-19 World Cup trophy. He got to make his T20I debut in 2010 and a year later he donned the whites for the first time for India.
Over the past 15 years, he’s shown incredible consistency in all three formats – that has been the hallmark of his career. He may not have been the most talented batsman of his generation, but his work ethic and efforts have pushed him to become one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the game.
Ahead of his 500th international match, Kohli received great adulation and praise from former India cricketers.
Here are the best statements by former India players on Virat Kohli’s 500th international match:
Rahul Dravid
Virat Kohli’s maiden Test century came in the 2011 Adelaide Test. That turned out to be the last career Test match for Rahul Dravid. Then, Dravid still observed Kohli’s rise from close quarters, as a commentator and then as the head of the NCA where he used to meet Kohli regularly. Dravid became the India head coach in 2021 and the pair has worked together over the past couple of years.
Rahul Dravid said Virat Kohli’s work ethic and efforts he puts when no one is watching is second to none, and his longevity has come due to his hard work and sacrifices.
“He’s a real inspiration to so many players within this team without a doubt, to so many boys and girls in India,” Dravid said from Trinidad. “His numbers and stats speak for itself, his performances – it’s all there in the book. But I think for me what’s great to see first hand is the effort and work he puts behind the scenes when no one’s watching. That’s reflecting in the fact that he’s going to be playing 500 games.
“He’s still very strong, very fit, the energy and enthusiasm despite playing 500 games and being around here for 12-13 years now, it’s truly fantastic. That’s not come easy, that’s come because of a lot of hard work behind the scenes, lot of sacrifices that he has made through his career and he’s willing to continue to make.”
Aakash Chopra
Perhaps nobody has done more commentary on Virat Kohli in the past decade than Aakash Chopra. An established face and renowned voice among fans now, Aakash Chopra says Kohli’s dedication toward his game is his defining thing.
“Virat Kohli’s dedication for the game is very evident and in fact defines him. The way he has lived his life like a monk where it has only been about cricket. That is the reason he has reached where he is today and is a brand ambassador of the beautiful game. We are all thankful for what he has done for Indian cricket and for cricket in general,” Chopra said on Jio Cinema.
Wasim Jaffer
Wasim Jaffer and Virat Kohli never played an international game together, but the former has been following the latter’s game as a commentator and an expert for the past 15 years. Jaffer hailed Kohli’s longevity, pointing out that only few men have been able to play 500th international matches.
Kohli is set to become only the 4th Indian to feature in 500 international matches. Ahead of him are Sachin Tendulkar (664), MS Dhoni (535), and Rahul Dravid (504).
“Not everybody gets to play 500 matches and his longevity is praiseworthy – the way he has kept himself fit and consistent and continued playing well and scored 75 centuries in international cricket. It signifies his discipline, dedication, and determination. He has played 500 matches and there is a lot more cricket left in him. He is a role model for all cricketers across the world,” Jaffer said.
Kohli has 75 international centuries, a tally bettered by only Sachin Tendulkar, who has 100 hundreds. Ponting is third with 71. Among the current active players, the next best is Joe Root with 46 centuries.
Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha and Virat Kohli featured in 22 international matches together from 2008 to 2013, so Ojha got the view of a young, rising star in Kohli. Ojha hopes Kohli continues to perform well beyond his 500th match.
“This is a very special achievement. Very few get to achieve this feat. I hope this acts as a motivation for him and he keeps playing good knocks for the country and continues with his good form,” the former spinner said.
