Although world cricket anxiously awaits Virat Kohli's next international hundred, the last scored in November 2019, with fans counting days of his century drought, the Indian skipper remains unfazed, prioritising team's victory over his next triple-figure mark.
Since that knock of 136 in the second Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata, which was India's maiden Pink-Ball game, Kohli has failed to reach his next triple-figure mark in his next 43 international innings across formats which comprises 13 innings in Tests, 14 in ODIs and 17 in T20Is. Kohli crossed the half-century mark 17 times, his highest being an unbeaten 94 in the T20I against West Indies.
In ODIs, the streak goes back to August 14, 2019 when he had scored an unbeaten 114 against West Indies in the Port of Spain. Over the next 14 innings, he crossed the fifty-run mark eight times, his highest being two scores of 89 - both against Australia in 2020.
On Friday, in the second ODI against England, Kohli was dismissed for 66, which was part of his run of four consecutive half-century scores in ODIs, by Adil Rashid.
Despite the numbers outlining the anxious wait, Kohli explained that he has never played for hundreds in his entire career.
"I never played for hundreds in my life, probably why I ended up getting so many in such a short while. It's more important for the team to win. If I get a three-figure score and the team doesn't win, it means nothing," he said in the post-match presentation.
Kohli will get one more opportunity for getting his 71st international century in the third and final ODI against England in Pune on Sunday where the hosts will be looking to wrap up the contest after going down by six wickets in the second game.
