"Saamne wali bowling thi sadharan, to Kohli ne kiya Virat roop dhaaran" - Aakash Chopra lauds Virat Kohli's match-winning century

Aakash Chopra has lauded Virat Kohli for making Sri Lanka pay for their ordinary bowling in the third ODI in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, January 15.

Kohli smashed an unbeaten 166 off just 110 balls as India set a mammoth 391-run target for Dasun Shanaka and Co. after opting to bat first. Their bowlers then bowled out the Lankan Lions for 73 to help the Men in Blue register a massive 317-run win.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was all praise for Kohli, saying:

"Virat Kohli comes to bat at No. 3. A hundred in the first match in Guwahati and a hundred in Thiruvanthapuram. Virat Kohli is the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series. Virat the run-machine Kohli is back. Saamne wali bowling thi sadharan, to Kohli ne kiya Virat roop dhaaran."

Chopra added that the modern batting great is back at the top of his game and silenced his critics, elaborating:

"I was reading a Pakistani handle that said that he scores only in dead rubbers, so did someone else score a century in the first match? It said it was an extremely flat pitch - the opposition team scored 70 in all. Virat Kohli is back, looks absolutely sensational, back to his very best. He actually owns this format."

Kohli smashed 13 fours and eight sixes during his innings. It was his 46th ODI century, and he is now only three behind Sachin Tendulkar's record tally of 49 tons.

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"He has got a lot of grace and time" - Aakash Chopra says Shubman Gill is the future of Indian cricket

Shubman Gill scored his second ODI century. [P/C: BCCI]

Chopra was also appreciative of Shubman Gill for playing a graceful knock, stating:

"Shubman Gill has struck another century, his second in ODI cricket. Whenever you see him play, it seems he is the future of Indian cricket. The way Shubman plays, the class and the flow with which he plays, he has got a lot of grace and time.

Chopra believes Gill has ensured that Ishan Kishan will continue to remain on the sidelines, although he added that the wicketkeeper-batter will likely play in the middle order in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand, observing:

"That is why Ishan Kishan is going to remain out for now. You can't really help it, although it might have come to their (team management's) mind that they could have played Ishan in this match because in the next series, which is about to start, KL Rahul will not be there and Ishan Kishan will play, but as a middle-order batter."

Gill was preferred over Kishan for the three ODIs against Sri Lanka despite the latter having smashed a blazing double century in the final game against Bangladesh. With KL Rahul unavailable for the ODI series against the Kiwis, the Mumbai Indians (MI) opener might be seen playing in an uncustomary middle-order position.