Twitter hails ‘chase master’ Kohli after he slams 20th ton in run chases

Virat Kohli keeps scoring hundreds for fun. Once again, he was at it. The plot was familiar at the Kingsmead Stadium. India were chasing a target of 270 runs and didn’t get off to a best of starts. Then entered, the master of chase.

The Indian captain smashed 33^rd ODI century, his first in South Africa in the ODI format. This was Kohli’s second consecutive century in One-Day Internationals and third in the last four innings.

What a chaser, what an incredible player- Virat Kohli. A hundred​ in every country he has played. This one has made what looked a tricky chase look like a cakewalk.#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/E9GuAVFq1Y

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 1, 2018

India lost Rohit Sharma early in the chase of 270. Virat Kohli joined Shikhar Dhawan in the middle but after a few overs lost the opener in the mix-up that resulted in a run out. Coming in at four, Ajinkya Rahane steadied the Indian innings and stitched a big partnership with the skipper.

Soaking the pressure, the two batsmen paced innings, with Kohli playing the aggressor to keep the run rate in control while Rahane played the anchor until India were in reach of the set target. However, both could not stay till the end.

Congratulations India. Very well done. A great start to the series. Very happy for Rahane. #INDvSA

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 1, 2018

This was Virat Kohli’s 20^th hundred in run-chases in ODIs. Out of 20 hundreds, team India has won 18 matches while two hundreds have been in vain.

The Chase Master is at it…again ??? #SAvIND #Kohli

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 1, 2018

ODI century number 33, first century in SA for @imVkohli! The man chases games like breathing oxygen. We’re already out of superlatives to describe his brilliance. #SAvIND

— Nikhil (@CricCrazyNIKS) February 1, 2018

Sure, Kohli deserves to be entitled ‘chase master’ and the ‘greatest chaser’.

Virat Kohli is regarded one of the best all-format batsmen in the world and greatest of his era, along with Australia’s Steven Smith, England’s Joe Root and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson. Kohli is passionate, emotional, effervescent and at times loud. He does not hold back.

With the century in the first ODI at Durban, Kohli now has centuries in all nine full-members countries he has played in and only missing one in Pakistan where he has not played. Other than Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya are the others who have scored centuries in nine of the first ten full-member nations.