Source NDTV sport
In a blazing display of batting mastery, Virat Kohli smashed his 53rd One Day International (ODI) century on December 3, 2025 — a knock that once again underlines why he is regarded as one of cricket’s modern greats. The 37-year-old achieved this milestone during the second ODI against South Africa national cricket team at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
Kohli reached his century in just 90 balls, ultimately contributing a commanding 102 runs off 93 deliveries, including seven boundaries and two sixes. That came just days after his 135-run innings in the series opener at Ranchi — making this his second successive century in the series.
The significance of this knock goes beyond the runs. With his 53rd ton, Kohli not only extended his own record for most ODI centuries by a batter — but also widened the gap over Sachin Tendulkar, who long held the mark.
That’s not all. Coming at No. 3 in the batting order, this was Kohli’s 46th century from that spot — surpassing Tendulkar’s previous record of 45 hundreds at number three in ODIs. The Raipur stadium erupted in cheers when Kohli nudged a single off South Africa ’s Marco Jansen to bring up the milestone — his trademark intensity and celebration proving he still lives for these moments.
Kohli’s 53rd ODI century also marked his 84th century across all formats — a tally second only to Tendulkar’s 100 international hundreds.
Fans, former players and commentators were swift to praise the masterclass. Observers noted the timing — the pitch conditions in Raipur, the pressure of expectations, and the challenges posed by South Africa’s bowling attack — and still found in Kohli’s knock the trademark blend of composure, aggression, and razor-sharp timing.
With this innings, Virat Kohli has inched even closer to Tendulkar’s all-time international hundred record. For now, the Indian stalwart continues to prove one thing: age has done nothing to blur the edge of one of cricket’s most consistent runmakers.
