“Ab to nahi puchoge ki Virat form mein nahi hai”- Kohli’s childhood coach reacts cheekily after batter’s ton in IND vs PAK 2025 Champions Trophy match

Virat Kohli's childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, hopes critics will stop questioning the Indian batter’s form after his match-winning hundred in the 2025 Champions Trophy match against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, February 23. Sharma praised Kohli and said that the 36-year-old proved yet again that he is a big-match player.

Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, hitting seven fours, and India beat Pakistan by six wickets match number five of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Batting first, Pakistan were held to 241 as Kuldeep Yadav claimed 3-40. In reply, Kohli guided India home, while Shreyas Iyer (56) and Shubman Gill (46) also made handy contributions.

Heading into the game, there were plenty of question marks over Kohli owing to his poor scores in recent months. Speaking to PTI Videos after India’s six-wicket win over Pakistan, Sharma commented:

"Ab to nahi puchoge ki Virat form mein nahi hai" (I hope, you won't ask me that Virat is not in form).”

The 59-year-old opined that Kohli has never been out of form. Sharing his thoughts on the former India captain, he said:

"He has been a big match player as I have always said and that is what he has proved today. He has always performed well against tough opposition. He has been doing this for the last so many years. He is a guy who has won most matches for the country.”

Kohli’s hundred in Dubai against Pakistan was his first three-figure score in ODIs since his century against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semifinal in Mumbai.

“It is a big achievement” - Rajkumar Sharma on Virat Kohli becoming the fastest to 14,000 ODI runs

Apart from notching up his 51st ODI ton, Kohli became the fastest player to reach 14,000 ODI runs during his knock in Dubai on Sunday. Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) have scored more runs than him in ODIs. Reacting to the huge achievement, a proud Sharma stated:

"Apart from 51st ODI and 82nd overall hundred, he has completed 14,000 ODI runs as well. It is a big achievement and I am proud of him that he has made the whole country proud. We are all happy that he has given happiness to the whole country," he remarked.

Kohli has so far featured in 299 ODI matches and has amassed 14,085 runs at an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 93.41, with 51 hundreds and 73 half-centuries.