'I hope he continues playing for many years, keeps bringing joy to people and all Indian fans, and keeps performing at the same exceptional level that he has been doing over the past 15 years.'
Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma on Sunday heaped praises on the batting stalwart, who slammed his 52nd ODI century during the series opener against South Africa in Ranchi.
Sharma said Kohli has once again used his cricket bat to silence his critics and naysayers.
The 120-ball 135 against the Proteas was the 27-year-old's 83rd international hundred.
In the process, Kohli also broke the record for most centuries by a batter in a single format of the game, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 51 centuries in Tests.
Kohli, who has retired from T20Is and Tests, hit 11 fours and seven sixes, scoring his runs at a spectacular strike rate of 112.50.
Sharma said Kohli's performance in the first ODI was exceptional and credited his success to his unwavering dedication to the game and hard work.
"It's an outstanding performance. He batted very well and made the entire nation happy. Virat was in excellent form in the third match in Australia, and he has shown the same intent here as well. He always prioritizes his fitness and preparation, putting in a lot of hard work. And once again, he has let his bat do the talking."
On whether Kohli should reconsider his decision to quit Test cricket, Sharma said, "Everyone wants him to play again. But it is up to him to decide."
"Wherever he goes, he is loved immensely. Because of the way he has served his country, the fitness culture he brought to Indian cricket, the level of performance he has delivered, his consistency, and the number of matches he has won for India... no one else has matched that. That's why people admire him so much.
"I hope he continues playing for many years, keeps bringing joy to people and all Indian fans, and keeps performing at the same exceptional level that he has been doing over the past 15 years."
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