‘If you can get to the milestone, why not?’ – KL Rahul talks on not taking singles to let Virat Kohli score century.

In the ODI World Cup 2023 encounter against Bangladesh on October 19th in Pune, Virat Kohli achieved his 48th ODI century, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career. India successfully chased down Bangladesh’s target of 257 with seven wickets in hand and 51 balls to spare. While Shubman Gill secured his maiden World Cup half-century, it was Kohli who stole the spotlight with a remarkable, unbeaten 103 runs from 97 balls.

During the latter stages of the match, India required 29 runs to secure victory, and Virat Kohli found himself just 28 runs short of the coveted three-figure mark. At this point, observers noticed Kohli deliberately turning down opportunities for easy singles. He ultimately reached his century with a magnificent six off Nasum Ahmed. After the match, KL Rahul, who was batting alongside the former India captain, revealed that he had encouraged Kohli to go for the century.

Rahul stated, “He [Kohli] was unsure, expressing concerns about how it might appear to not take the single. After all, it’s the World Cup, a grand stage. ‘I don’t want it to seem like I’m just chasing a milestone.’ But I said, considering the situation, it’s not a guaranteed victory, but it still looks quite achievable. So, why not go for the milestone? You should give it a try. And in the end, he did just that. I wasn’t planning on taking those singles either,” Rahul shared during an interview with Star Sports