Virat Kohli's nine ODI hundreds - The makings of a champion batsman!!!

“Well, I have seen Sachin and Rahul also play some great innings at the Test level at this age. Virat has also got it all” – Sunil Gavaskar

The dazzling century by Virat Kohli at Hobart had the world watching in awe and rubbing its eyes in disbelief. His heroics may have resurrected India from the dead and secured an imperative bonus point against all odds, but his onslaught on Laisth Malinga- the most feared bowler in limited-overs cricket - is something that would be etched in memory for years. Such was the brilliance of Kohli’s display that the legendary Sunil Gavaskar compared him to Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid’s exploits at a similar age.

While Kohli has just kicked off his Test career, he is a proven force in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He has scored nine hundreds in 82 ODIs, six of which have come in successful run-chases. Time and again, he plays a knock that rallies the team and takes them through to victory - the win at Hobart being the latest example. Without doubt, this knock is a defining moment as it signifies his value to this Indian line-up.

Therefore, it would be fitting to revisit his previous eight tons - each of which have been special and brought a new dimension to his game. 

Here are his ODI centuries:
 

1.  107 vs Sri Lanka at Kolkata, 2009

The iconic Eden Gardens witnessed Kohli announcing his arrival on the international stage. Chasing a formidable 316 under lights, India were dented early as they lost both Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag inside four overs. Kohli joined Gautam Gambhir at the crease to resurrect India. The Delhi duo sustained their pressure on the Lankan bowlers by good running between the wickets and hitting the boundaries whenever the opportunity presented. Kohli’s mature approach coupled with Gambhir’s experience put India on course to a comfortable win. By the time Kohli was dismissed with the score on 247, Indiawere way past the initial wobble. This game marked the beginning of the successful Gambhir-Kohli partnership which has flourished since then.

2. 102 not out vs Bangladesh at Mirpur, 2010

The hundred at Eden Gardens had raised everybody’s expectations of Kohli and he didn’t disappoint as India travelled toBangladesh after the Lanka series. It was the last league game of the tri-series featuring Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh withIndia ensured of a place in the final. Nevertheless, a win was imperative, albeit against Bangladesh. The openers had got Indiaoff to a good start in pursuit of 248. Kohli walked in at No 3 and played a very sensible knock to see India through without major hiccups. His 102 came at better than a run-a-ball and nullified the Bangladeshi challenge. This performance affirmed the belief that he could be a consistent performer at the highest level and can be relied upon to anchor a run-chase.

3. 118 vs Australia at Visakhapatnam, 2010

A huge target of 290 started looking mountainous as India lost two early wickets during their run-chase. Batting at three, Kohli initiated damage-control in the company of Yuvraj Singh. Without taking many chances, the two milked the Australian bowling and made scoring look very easy. Kohli, in particular, was a delight to watch as he stuck to his basics and placed the ball in the gaps. The harsh conditions took their toll on him as he started cramping during the latter stages of the innings, but he maintained the flow. As the target neared, he decided to take his chances and cut loose. This Indian team didn’t feature the likes of Sehwag, Tendulkar and Gambhir - a fact that makes Kohli’s effort truly meritorious. Furthermore, it came after an indifferent run of form and he admitted to have felt the heat. His coach, Rajkumar Sharma rated this as his ward’s best knock. But of course, this was before the Hobart dazzler. 

4. 105 vs New Zealand at Guwahati, 2010

If one felt that the knock at Visakhapatnam was a jail-breaking act, they couldn’t be more wrong as Kohli smashed his second consecutive hundred in ODIs to convince the critics that he was here to stay. His maiden hundred batting first set the tone for an easy win. As the other batsmen wielded their willow by playing aggressive strokes, Kohli was relatively sedate in his approach and focused on timing the ball. He anchored the run-chase and accelerated as the slog overs approached.

5. 100 not out vs Bangladesh at Dhaka, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

It was Kohli’s first exposure to the biggest stage and his efforts helped India kick-start their dream run in style. Traditionally,India have been slow starters at the World Cup and the horrors of the defeat to Bangladesh in the 2007 edition would have been there at the back of the players’ minds. Sehwag’s brutality was matched by Kohli’s class as he eased into his first World Cup. The cover-drives and the shots down the ground were a feature during this knock. A lot of the attention was hogged by Sehwag’s display, but one cannot take anything away from Kohli’s effort. It is very easy to get overawed during a World Cup debut or get carried away by looking at Sehwag bludgeoning the ball to all parts of the ground and attempt something similar. However, Kohli’s temperament was the winner which conquered those distractions and allowed him to play his natural game. 

6. 107 vs England at Cardiff, 2011

The last game of the horrendous tour of England heralded a new era for Kohli. Keeping the team’s failures aside, he was under pressure due to his personal form as he had run into a lean patch. The spotlight was on Rahul Dravid, who was playing his last ODI. Hailed as the next Dravid in some corners of the cricketing fraternity, Kohli started off like the original “Wall” by playing himself in and then opening up. He kept rotating strike and avoided doing anything silly. The best part about his innings was the way he chose his big shots. It was almost as if he had a map of the field in his mind and could place the ball with geometric precision. Even though some of the strokes were hit in the air, there wasn’t any risk involved as they were played in the safe areas. One can say that this hundred signalled a coming of age and symbolically, Dravid passed on the baton to Kohli. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to secure a win and it remains Kohli’s only ton in a losing cause.

7. 112 not out vs England at Delhi, 2011

A very familiar task lay before Kohli as two early wickets had stuttered India’s pursuit of 238. India were looking to crush the demons and avenge humiliation of the England tour and were already 1-0 up in the series. Gambhir and Kohli were in the act yet again as they strolled towards the target on their home ground. The fluency with which Kohli scored was a sight for the sore eyes as he outstripped his partner on the scoreboard after being level for sometime. Both were unbeaten as the win was achieved with nonchalant ease. This knock is special because it was his first hundred at his home ground - a momentous occasion for any cricketer. 

8. 117 vs West Indies at Visakhapatnam, 2011

A run-chase, two early wickets - isn’t a Kohli ton the most likely eventuality! Ravi Rampaul’s late hitting took West Indies to 269 and the early dismissals of Parthiv Patel and Gambhir threatened to take the game away from India. However, Kohli walked into his comfort zone and went about the script in a familiar manner in the company of Rohit Sharma. Kohli fell with India on the brink, but had yet gain set-up a comfortable win after initial worries. 

9. 133 not out vs Sri Lanka at Hobart, CB series, 29-02-2012

Going into this game, India had to win with a bonus point and their uninspiring form prompted Sunil Gavaskar to say“despite mathematical chance, don't think India can make it to the final.” 

When Sri Lanka piled 320, staying alive in the tournament looked a mountainous task as they had to overhaul the target inside 40 overs. Tendulkar and Sehwag got India off to a brisk start. Once they fell, the dependable firm of Gambhir and Kohli were in business. Compared to their previous heroics, this task looked even more enormous. 

Kohli punched his first ball through mid wicket for a boundary, but was struggling with his timing for a while. As the innings progressed, he regained his fluency and played handsome strokes to keep up with the asking rate. The moment of the day came when India required 42 off 36 balls and Malinga was introduced into the attack. That is when the game unexpectedly swung completely in India’s favour. Kohli took two of the first to get his hundred, but his best was yet to come. In the next five deliveries, he hit 6,4,4,4,4 to crush the aura surrounding Malinga.India achieved the target in 36.4 overs, leaving their qualifying chances to fate

The Unforgettable Goa trip - Final shots

Final Day and Trip back:

This was our last few hours in Goa. So we got up very early in the morning and left for Baga beach which is quite close to Calangute beach. Every beach in Goa is unique and so is Baga. The sea and river meets here creating a beautiful sight with water on two sides.

We saw the sunrise and played beach soccer for the last time. Then got back to hotel and packed our bags. The hotel manager asked us to pay more than what was said before. But lucky for us he didn’t refer to how much we had paid advance. So we played along and escaped. Had he cross checked, we were literally screwed cos we had no money left.

We vacated the hotel at 10am. Well our bus back to bangalore is only at 5pm from Panaji. So we went to the beach and sat in the sun baked sand for a few hours looking at the sights around. Then we headed to a veg restaurant nearby and ordered the cheapest stuff on the menu. Then we left for Panjim. A wait of 5 hours in Panjim. We waited at a park near the bus stand. We passed time playing football with a few guys from Sikkim. Probably Baichung Bhutia's followers.

Must say the bus journey was way better than the train. Sleeper seats. Very comfortable. We got to Bangalore early in the morning. Luckily the bus stopped right in front of the railway station and we had a train to Salem. Getting tickets was an eventful experience for me. I almost picked up a brawl with a policeman while standing in the queue to buy tickets. Luckily he didn’t use his stick on me. The train was deserted. In fact most of the compartments were empty. So again a peaceful trip. Relief at last on reaching our destination.  100 rupees remaining in pocket. God is great!!!!

That folks is the end of the unforgettable journey series…

Another journey coming up soon…. Stay tuned…..

The Unforgettable Trip Day 3

The most eventful day of the trip perhaps. As usual we got on our scooters early in the morning. Anjuna Beach was our first destination. So off we went. This was a different kind of beach. No activities here. Just a few rocks that extend into the sea. So clicked a lot of pics on the rocks. Last time I came to Goa, I was in love with milkmaid ice gola. Yummm….. So we tried ice golas on the beach. But unfortunately it was normal ice gola not milkmaid. :(

Then on our way back we spotted a water park. Though it looked small we thought it would extend inwards. So here we were after purchasing tickets at 300 bucks. And all there was in the so called park was just 2 rides. WOW…. 300 bucks down the drain. So just for the sake of valuing that cash we spent 2 hours in d water playing with a ball…. How awsome!

Again amazing lunch… I am mad about Goan food…. In the evening we went Go-karting. After a very very long time got on racing track. Believe me it is simply mind blowing. The thrill of driving at breakneck speed and overtaking the opponents. Nothing beats that. Just felt that it was too short after the race. I finished 1st among 6 drivers though. Maybe being a racer is not a bad option and I should probably  give it a shot. Every penny spent on that race was worth it.

Right next to the go-karting track is the Anjuna Saturday night market. This is again a main attraction in this part of Goa. You will find people selling all kinds of stuff here from pashmina shawls to fake branded watches. Some of the shopkeepers are foreigners. That was surprising.There is also a food court to satisfy your taste buds with different varieties of food. Did I tell you that my genius buddy who lost 1 pair of glasses in water before lost his new goggles on the race track.

Well after a round of the market and having some Belgian waffles and chocolate dipped strawberries and buying some stuff, I just thought why not check how much was left in my wallet. And perfect timing. I had the exact amount left to pay for the hotel. My 2 buddies were also broke. Great. We still had some to spend some time in Goa and get back. We had to manage all this with 400 bucks.

So we got out of the market as we had no cash to eat anything for dinner in our budge there. Luckily just outside the market we spotted a small pull cart selling some eateries. So we had a delicious dinner at 100 bucks for the 3 of us. Pav bhaji for dinner and also got stares from people eating there for asking how much an extra pav cost. Well I had to ask as I had to spend wisely now. Back to hotel after that. Funny how a cheap meal can also be so filling when you are out of cash.

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THE UNFORGETTABLE TRIP

DAY 2:

This was an awesome day. We hit the road early morning for Panjim, the capital of Goa. Panjim is indeed a beautiful city. First up we visited Dona Paula. This place is basically a view point. Spent a good one hour taking photos in all crazy poses possible. The drive to Dona Paula was a pleasure. Clean roads and greenery on both sides. On our way back we stopped at the Goa Science Centre. Well it might seem absurd going to a science centre in Goa but this was a famous location so we decided to spend so e time here. We watched a 3D movie here and gotta say it was amazing. It really was a 3 dimensional experience compared to lots of movies which claim to be 3D and disappoint.

Then we had a stop at CCD where we got the news of our semester results. We were here for a jolly time in Goa and exam results were the last thing we needed. We had decided in the morning that none of us would check the results. But when something is forbidden the curiosity to know about it increases. That’s what happened to both my buddies. Well I hadn’t bothered to check mine but what the hell both these guys were gleaming and I was feeling a little insecure. So I was the last one to see my results. But luckily we all did the exams well and nothing unfortunate happened.  So we decided to celebrate our exam victory with a movie at Inox. Sherlock Holmes 2 it was. The movie didn’t disappoint.

Time for lunch and this time it was the famous Delhi Darbar in Panjim. Amazing darbari food. Food is always good in this state. On our way out of the restaurant, we saw a bookshop selling books at 100 bucks. So we took a look here and ended up buying a few books worth 5 times this price.

Our last stop in Panjim was the Church Square where we spend some time. Our way back to Calangute was eventful. Half way through the journey, the second scooter went missing. We waited a while for him and as we were heading back in search of him he caught up with us. Guess what he was caught by cops for riding without helmet. He was fined. Now we understood what the biker who overtook us meant when he asked us to drive faster. The cop had missed us and he was suggesting us to escape his eyes. We instead thought he was mocking us that we were too slow. LOL…

Back to the hotel and then to the beach for some beach soccer and eye soothing…. Hehe… The dinner was awesome as always here. Finally got to taste pork, something that I had been longing for. But the pork vindaloo we ordered made us spit fire. It was that spice. I wanted to try the local beverage, Goan fenny. So ordered that as well, and I was glad we ordered just two glasses and not three…. Just two sips and I couldn’t take it anymore. Wasn’t exactly appreciated by my alcohol hating tongue…..

Day 3- the last day will be up soon.. Stay tuned…

Life as a Conscious Practice

‘Everything is practice.’ ~Pele

When we learn a martial art, or ballet, or gymnastics, or soccer … we consciously practice movements in a deliberate way, repeatedly. By conscious, repeated practice, we become good at those movements.

Our entire lives are like this, but we’re often less conscious of the practice.

Each day, we repeat movements, thought patterns, ways of interacting with others … and in this repeated practice, we are becoming (or have already become) good at these things. If you constantly check Facebook or Twitter, that is practice, and you are forming that habit, though it’s usually not with too much awareness.

When you smoke, or eat junk food, or speak rudely to others, or put yourself down internally, this is something you are practicing to be good at. You may already be good at these things.

What if, instead, we practiced consciously, deliberately, and became good at the things we really want to be good at?

What if you first, above all skills, learned to be more aware of what you are practicing? What if constant conscious action is the skill you became good at?

If you could learn to take conscious action, you could learn to practice other things you want to be good at, rather than the ones you don’t.

What Are You Practicing?

Ask yourself these things throughout the day, to practice conscious action:

• Do I want to practice rushing through my morning, or can I wake a little earlier and simplify my morning routine so that I practice a slow, enjoyable morning ritual?
• Do I want to practice checking my inboxes when I first get to my computer, or can I do something better?
• Do I want to practice leaving dirty dishes out, or can I practice washing my bowl when I’m done with it?
• Do I want to practice leaving clothes strewn about, or papers lying on the counter, or can I take a few seconds to put them where they belong?
• Do I want to speak angrily to my kids or spouse, or can I speak to them with kindness and compassion?
• Do I want to practice complaining and self-pity, or can I practice gratitude?
• Do I want to practice rushing and being busy, or can I practice simplifying and going slowly?
• Do I want to practice eating fried foods, sugary foods, salty junk food snacks, fast foods … or can I practice eating whole foods, vegetables and fruits, nuts and beans and seeds?
• Do I want to practice surfing time-wasting sites, or can I practice clearing away distractions and creating?
• Do I want to practice watching mindless entertainment, or can I practice moving my body and exerting myself in activity?
• Do I want to practice smoking, or can I learn a healthier way to deal with stress?
• Do I want to practice shopping, or can I practice giving?

These are only examples … your life will show you what you’ve been practicing, and you can decide what you might rather practice instead. Or you might be completely happy with what you’ve been practicing.

How to Practice

The first step is always awareness. When you are conscious of what you are doing, you can decide whether this is an action or thought pattern you want to practice, or if there’s an alternative you’d rather be good at.

As you go through your day, practice this awareness. It’s the first skill, and it’s the most important one. Be aware, without feeling guilty or angry at yourself, of what you’re doing and thinking. You will forget to to this, but remind yourself. You might wear a rubber band around your wrist, or carry a talisman, or make tally marks on a slip of paper each time you remember.

As you get good at conscious action, start to practice those actions and thought patterns you want to be good at. Start to notice the ones you’d really rather not be good at, and see if you can deliberately practice other actions and thought patterns.

As you consciously, deliberately repeat these things, you’ll get better at them. It takes a lot of repetition to get good at a skill, but you’ve got time.

Important Conclusions

You won’t be able to change all your habits at once, and I’m not implying that you should try. The habit you’re really changing is consciousness, and practice. Other habits will be difficult to change, especially if you’re trying to change all of them, but it’s OK if you mess up. Give yourself permission to make mistakes without guilt, and instead just deliberately practice again, and again.

If something is too hard, and you can’t get it right no matter how many times you practice, you can try it in smaller steps. If you can’t quit smoking, try not smoking once, and instead relieving stress through walking or doing some pushups or meditation or self-massage. If you can’t quit junk food, just replace one snack with a fruit, or add a tasty veggie to your dinner.

I’d like to emphasize that this isn’t about perfection. There is no perfect way of life, and you don’t need to strive to be perfect every moment of the day. I believe you’re already perfect. This is just about conscious action, which is a useful skill to have.

Remember that we become good at what we repeatedly do, and what we do repeatedly can be done consciously. It’s when we’re conscious that we are truly alive.

‘If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.’ ~Dalai Lama

Does Love still exist?

It was just one of those days when I was asked by the training department of our college to interact with the freshers and share some placement gyan with them. After talking for a while about placements, they got bored and asked to play some game. So here I was conducting an interaction game for them where a girl and a boy are randomly chosen and given the chance to ask each other questions.  There was this one question that caught my attention.

The boy asks, “What is your opinion about love?  Would you prefer love marriage or arranged marriage?” To which the girl replied, “Love is just for time pass. I don’t believe in love and will marry only the person whom my parents find for me.” It was this answer of the girl that made me think.

Does love really still exist in our world? Or has it given way to just lust and become a time pass game for youngsters?  There was a time when ‘love’ was a taboo. Then mention of the L-word was considered equal to a sin. Then there came a time when love started blooming and we had some great love stories that made the world proud. Now we are going into a period where love has simply become a time-pass like everything else.

Love never had a timeline. Love stories were eternal. Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha, Romeo-Juliet these are names that will remain etched in the memories of people for generations to come. They would always be known as a pair and never as a single entity. But in today’s world where do we have such examples? We read of an emotional love story of Ravinder Singh and roll tears but do we see such things happening around us? Like everything else today love also has an expiry date, which is indeed sad. The timeline usually is the 3-4 years of college life. The paradigm has shifted from ‘love’ to ‘break-up’.

We have reached a stage where love looks all colourful and beautiful only on the big screen and in books. But the reality has taken a harsher turn. The Bible says to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Harry Potter’s greatest gift was love. Girls still wish for a lover like SRK from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. But in reality what happens is we just brush aside the love that someone pours on us.

This world works through love. So where exactly are we headed when love has just become something that money can buy now? Is lust the new love? It wouldn’t hurt to give these questions a long thought. By saying ‘I LOVE YOU’ to someone, you are offering a lot of unsaid things. You are offering trust, a shoulder to cry on, a promise to take care for a lifetime. And when it changes to ‘WE NEED TO BREAK-UP’, you are breaking in fact shattering a person’s life amongst these things. So just be a little careful before you jump into the ocean of love. You might just break a heart which sure doesn’t make any noise. Go out and live a life filled with true love.