In their final international match of 2023, the Indian cricket team faced a disappointing performance against South Africa, particularly in the much-anticipated ‘Final Frontier’ series. The outcome on the field was far from what was anticipated, with India’s first innings closing at 245. South Africa, led by Dean Elgar’s remarkable 185, amassed a formidable 408-run total. The second innings witnessed a lone battle by Virat Kohli (76), but India succumbed to an all-out total of just 131. This led to a staggering defeat for India, losing the match by an innings and 32 runs.

In the second innings, only Kohli and Shubman Gill (26) managed to reach double-digit figures, while four Indian batters failed to score at all. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar shared his insights on the performance through a comprehensive post on social media.

Tendulkar praised South Africa for their outstanding performance, especially their pace attack that exceeded expectations in the second innings, despite the pitch becoming more favorable for batting as the match progressed. He observed that India’s shot selection throughout the Test was subpar, with only a few batters, including Elgar, Jansen, Bedingham, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, showing comfort with the bat and navigating the challenging conditions with technique and poise.

South Africa secured an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series, shattering India’s aspirations of winning a Test series in South Africa for the first time in 31 years. The only redemption for India now lies in a 1-1 draw, a possibility they can strive for during the upcoming New Year’s Test in Cape Town.

The Indian team’s lackluster batting performance reflected a sense of cluelessness and a lack of preparedness for the challenging assignment. Captain Rohit Sharma, experiencing a rough period after losing the World Cup final and being removed from Mumbai Indians’ captaincy, did not exhibit the leadership that had made him a favorite during the World Cup.

The team, much like its skipper, appeared disheveled and without a plan B for course correction. With Bob Marley’s iconic “Don’t worry, Everything Gonna be Alright” played in the background, the Indian team must be reflecting on how nothing went right throughout the entire course of the match.

Former England football captain David Beckham, present at the Wankhede Stadium to witness India’s triumphant victory over New Zealand, expressed the significance of his encounter with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as “special.” Among the star-studded audience, Beckham engaged with Sachin, Indian and New Zealand players, and even shared conversations with cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri before the highly anticipated World Cup semi-final.

Reflecting on his time with the “Master Blaster” and the players on the field, Beckham conveyed the uniqueness of the experience. In a video shared by BCCI, he described the meeting with Sachin, stating,

“It was very special. I met Sachin for the first time at Wimbledon, and it was special to meet him then. Firstly, he is the best, but as a person, he is even better. To spend time with him is even better. For me to spend some time with him in his house was very special. But for me, spending time with all the players, they were going into an important game, so it was nice that they were able to come and say hello. It was a pleasure to meet them all.”

Beckham, known for his prowess in football, revealed his childhood fondness for cricket, confessing that he used to play the sport in school and saw himself as a batsman.

“I used to play cricket when I was a young kid at school, and I always liked being a batsman. I also like to bowl and field, so maybe I am an all-rounder, but I see myself more as a batter,” he added.

Turning to the match itself, India chose to bat first, scoring an impressive 397/4 in their 50 overs. The opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a strong start, with Sharma scoring 47 in 29 balls and Gill contributing 80 in 66 balls. Despite a partnership between New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Shami’s exceptional seven-wicket haul left the Blackcaps struggling, and India secured a 70-run victory.

India’s opponent in the final is yet to be determined, with South Africa and Australia set to face off in the second semi-final at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.

Virat Kohli has now scored the highest number of centuries in ODI cricket, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar. In the Cricket World Cup 2023 semifinal against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Kohli hit his 50th ODI ton in 106 balls with 8 fours and a six. This achievement broke the tie with Sachin, who had 49 centuries. Kohli also set a World Cup record with eight fifty-plus scores in a single edition.

Most 50-plus scores in a World Cup edition:

8 – Virat Kohli (2023)
7 – Sachin Tendulkar (2003)
7 – Shakib Al Hasan (2019)
6 – Rohit Sharma (2019)
6 – David Warner (2019)

Moreover, Kohli secured another World Cup record by accumulating the most runs in a single edition.

Most runs in a single World Cup edition:

674* – Virat Kohli (2023)
673 – Sachin Tendulkar (2003)
659 – Matthew Hayden (2007)
648 – Rohit Sharma (2019)
647 – David Warner (2019)

In addition, Kohli’s exceptional performance contributed to India’s success in the tournament, where Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bat against New Zealand in the semifinal. The match took place at Wankhede Stadium, where the team batting first had won three out of four previous games. Both India and New Zealand maintained an unchanged lineup for the crucial semifinal clash.

India : Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer,Mohammed Siraj ,Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wkt), Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami.

New Zealand : Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (capt), Rachin Ravindra, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips,Tom Latham (wkt),  Trent Boult,Tim Southee, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee.

Virat Kohli attained an extraordinary feat on Wednesday by notching up his quinquagenarian century in One Day International cricket during the pivotal Cricket World Cup semi-final encounter against New Zealand at the esteemed Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. In a feat of exceptional brilliance, he shattered the previous record he held in tandem with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar; the record in question is for the most One Day International centuries. Kohli achieved the coveted milestone by registering a two-fold score off the bowling of New Zealand’s fast bowler, Lockie Ferguson, during the 44th over. Having achieved a century, he fervently paid tribute to Tendulkar; standing amidst the crowd. With a stunning display of skill and precision, Kohli gracefully brought his innings to a close in the 44th over; his extraordinary talent resulted in a remarkable total score of 117 off just 113 balls.

Not only did Kohli accomplish a significant personal feat, but he also went on to surpass Tendulkar’s record of 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup, becoming the highest scorer in a single edition of the tournament. In the exhilarating semi-final showdown with New Zealand, this extraordinary accomplishment unfolded. Throughout the duration of the tournament, Kohli unequivocally established himself as the preeminent accumulative scorer, surpassing the performances of both Quinton de Kock hailing from South Africa and Rachin Ravindra representing New Zealand.

Within the world of Indian cricket, the names of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli elicit hopes and dreams that span decades of supporters. They have been subjects of countless comparisons, a testament to their combined greatness. However, their impact on Indian sports extends far beyond mere statistics. They have consistently exceeded the expectations of a billion-plus population in their unique ways. Nevertheless, there are certain milestones that demand attention, like the one Virat Kohli achieved at the iconic Eden Gardens during a Cricket World Cup 2023 match against South Africa on Sunday.

At a venue where Sachin Tendulkar delivered many unforgettable performances, Virat Kohli emphatically matched a world record previously held by the cricketing legend. Sachin Tendulkar held the world record for 49 ODI centuries, a mark that Virat Kohli has now reached in 277 innings. He has an excellent chance of breaking this record in the current World Cup of cricket. It’s interesting to remember that Virat Kohli’s first ODI century came at Eden Gardens against Sri Lanka in 2009.

Virat Kohli has long been considered the worthy successor to Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian batting lineup. Over the past decade and a half, he has consistently lived up to these expectations, steering India to victory with his remarkable batting prowess. Sunday’s feat carries added significance for several reasons. Firstly, the attainment of 49 ODI centuries is a milestone that was once deemed unattainable until Sachin Tendulkar accomplished it. Now, two Indian cricket legends have achieved this extraordinary feat. Secondly, this statistical milestone reaffirms that Virat Kohli is unquestionably the rightful heir to Sachin Tendulkar’s legacy.

This century was Virat Kohli’s 79th in international cricket (including 29 in Tests and 1 in T20Is), and he reached the milestone during the 49th over of the match with a single off Kagiso Rabada.

In his own words, Virat Kohli expressed his thoughts on this journey:

“If we talk about cricket, I had never thought of achieving it all, as in where my career is and how God has blessed me with such a career span and performances. I had always dreamt I’d do this, but I never thought things would pan out this way exactly.” He added, “Nobody can plan these things, the way your journey is going, or the way things unfold in front of you. I hadn’t thought that I’d score so many centuries and so many runs in the last 12 years.”

Clearly, Virat Kohli’s journey into the world of cricket is destined to witness many more historic milestones.

Virat Kohli, a cricket legend, suffered his first-ever World Cup duck during India’s clash with England in Lucknow. He faced nine deliveries without scoring and was eventually dismissed by David Willey.

Chasing a back-of-the-length delivery from Willey, Kohli attempted a big shot but miscued it, resulting in a simple catch for Ben Stokes at mid-off. His departure left India at 27/2 in 6.5 overs, with Shubman Gill (9) already falling to Chris Woakes.

In his 32 innings leading up to the England match, Kohli had amassed 1384 runs at an impressive average of 53.23. This marked his 16th duck in ODIs, with a third against England. His initial ODI duck against England occurred in Kolkata in 2011, followed by one in Dharamshala in 2013.

Defending champions England, who have struggled in the tournament, won the toss and chose to bowl. They secured an early breakthrough when Chris Woakes dismissed opener Shubman Gill with a full-length delivery.

England’s captain, Jos Buttler, emphasized playing for pride as they faced possible elimination. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, preferred batting first and fielded the same team as in the previous game, highlighting the importance of securing the two points.