India, Jan 12 : India batter Shreyas Iyer heaped praise on Virat Kohli after the former captain scripted history with a sublime 93 run knock in the first ODI against New Zealand on Sunday. India secured a four-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three match series.
Kohli entered the contest needing just 25 runs to reach 28,000 international runs and achieved the milestone in the 13th over of India’s chase. In the process, the 37-year-old became the fastest batter to reach the landmark, accomplishing the feat in just 624 innings 20 fewer than legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
The innings also saw Kohli surpass Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run scorer in international cricket history, moving past the Sri Lankan great’s tally of 28,016 runs. Tendulkar continues to lead the charts with 34,357 runs.
Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, Iyer highlighted Kohli’s longevity and impact at the highest level. “Whatever we talk about his innings, it would be less. We’ve been seeing it for so many years now. He’s been doing it consistently. The way he rotates the strike and takes on the bowler he basically walks the talk,” Iyer said.
Iyer himself played a crucial role in the win during his comeback match after recovering from a spleen injury sustained on India’s tour of Australia last October. The newly appointed vice-captain stitched a vital 77-run partnership with Kohli and scored 49 off 47 balls, falling just short of a half-century.
Reflecting on his return, Iyer said he cherished being back with the squad. “Great momentum and a great start to the series. Coming back into the team after a while feels special. More than anything, I missed being in the dressing room. I’m really happy to be back,” he said.