Cricket

Virat Kohli, the batting maestro, celebrates his 36th birthday today. While he may have wished to commemorate this special occasion with a Test victory over New Zealand, as he did on his 35th birthday during the ODI World Cup, he finds himself navigating a challenging period in his cricketing career.Despite the current setbacks, Kohli remains an unparalleled icon, having led India to numerous memorable victories and etched unforgettable moments in the hearts of cricket enthusiasts. As he prepares for the upcoming tour of Australia, where India will face five Tests for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, let's revisit some of his remarkable records:* Most ODI Centuries: Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI centuries with a magnificent 117 against New Zealand in the ODI World Cup semifinal last year.* Fastest to 13,000 ODI Runs: Kohli broke another Tendulkar record by reaching the milestone of 13,000 ODI runs in just 267 innings, while Tendulkar achieved it in 321 innings.* Most Runs in an ODI Series and World Cup: Kohli's 765 runs during the 2023 ODI World Cup stand as the highest tally in the tournament's history, earning him the 'Player of the Tournament' award.* Most Hundreds Against One Team: Kohli's 10 centuries across formats against Sri Lanka are the most by a batsman against a single team.* Most Player of the Series Awards (T20Is): Kohli's 7 'Player of the Series' awards in T20Is are the most by any cricketer.* Most Player of the Series Awards (All Formats): Kohli has won an impressive 21 'Player of the Series' awards across ODIs, T20Is, and Tests.* Most Fifties in T20Is: The batting icon has scored 39 T20I half-centuries, the highest by any batsman.As Kohli embarks on the challenging tour of Australia, his fans and the cricketing world eagerly await his return to form. His determination and resilience have always been his hallmarks, and he will undoubtedly strive to overcome this temporary setback and continue to inspire generations of cricketers.

Rohit Sharma Shatters Records in India's T20 World Cup OpenerIndian skipper Rohit Sharma etched his name into the annals of cricket history on Wednesday, becoming the first batter to smash 600 sixes in international cricket. The prolific opener also achieved several other milestones in India's T20 World Cup tournament opener against Ireland.Chasing a modest target of 97, Rohit crossed the 4000-run mark in T20Is, becoming only the third batter after Virat Kohli and Babar Azam to reach the milestone. He then notched up 1000 T20 World Cup runs, joining Kohli and Mahela Jayawardhane as the only players to achieve this feat.Rohit's three sixes against Ireland propelled him to the unprecedented milestone of 600 sixes in international cricket. The Indian opener now boasts 4137 sixes in Tests, 10709 in ODIs, and 4001 in T20Is.The 35-year-old also joined Kohli as the only players to score 4000 runs across all three formats in international cricket. Rohit has amassed 8848 runs in Tests, 13848 in ODIs, and 4038 in T20Is.Rohit's superb knock of 52 was cut short when he retired hurt in the 11th over. However, India went on to win their tournament opener by 8 wickets, thanks to a solid all-round performance.