'He's not thinking too much': Dravid on prospect of Virat Kohli equaling Sachin Tendulkar's record

Team India's Head Coach Rahul Dravid has stated that senior batsman Virat Kohli is more concerned about leading India to victory in the 2023 World Cup rather than attaining the humongous mark of 49 ODI centuries. Kohli got to his 48th hundred in the match against Bangladesh but missed out on the three-figure mark against Australia, New Zealand, and Sri lanka, scoring 85, 95, and 88 respectively. On Sunday, the Eden Gardens could witness another history in the making as Kohli could score his 49th ODI ton to equal Sachin Tendulkar's record, however, that's secondary for him.

3 things you need to know

• Virat Kohli turns 35 on Sunday, November 5, 2023
• Wishes are flowing in for Virat Kohli
• Kohli will stand a chance to complete 49 ODI centuries on his birthday

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Rahul Dravid highlights Virat Kohli's premier motive

Ahead of the match against South Africa in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, Rahul Dravid addressed the media and simmered down the hype by stating that there is a greater objective prevailing in the mind of Virat Kohli. “I think Virat's been really relaxed and as you can see in his performances, you know, batting really well for us, really keen to do well as he always is. So, look, I haven't noticed anything different. He's always been the same," Dravid said at a pre-match press conference. 

"He's always been professional, always been hardworking, always been switched on. So, nothing different. And no, I don't really think he's thinking too much about 49 and 50, and probably certainly not about his birthday getting a year older. But no, I think he's been really focused on winning the tournament and playing some good cricket for us. I think he's doing that really well," the Indian legend added.

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Rahul Dravid's special wish for Virat Kohli on his 35th birthday

In a video released by ICC, along with the members of Team India, coach Dravid also chipped in with a wish for Virat Kohli. He hailed the batsman for building extraordinary standards for others.

“Virat’s a legend of the game and especially this format [ODI]. All formats of the game, but particularly this one. The performances; the way he’s been able to finish games, the standard of his performances over the years has probably set a benchmark for his generation of cricketers,” Dravid said in the video