Farveez Mahroof, a former Sri Lankan great, referred to Virat Kohli as the “GOAT” of international cricket.

Virat Kohli, a real symbol of contemporary cricket, continued his outstanding batting performance by hitting an unbeaten 166 in the third One-Day International against Sri Lanka to assist his team earn a historic victory. The star batsman made it obvious what he intends to do in the year that India will host the ODI World Cup with his second century of the series. After taking his time to score the 71st international tonne following the 70th, Kohli has quickly accumulated 74 triple-digit scores. Farveez Mahroof, a former Sri Lankan star, has dubbed Virat the “GOAT” of international cricket, even as the cricket community praises his talent. “Simply the GOAT of international cricket. If Lionel Messi is the GOAT in football, it’s Virat Kohli for me in international cricket,” Farveez Maharoof said on ESPNcricinfo’s show Match Day.

“The script is written nicely for 2023. World Cup at home, he won in 2011 and this is his World Cup as well if he continues his good form. The way he paces his innings, the way he takes on bowlers and the way he understands the situation, I don’t think anyone in the world does it any better,” he added. Wasim Jaffer, a former India opener who was on the same programme, said he wasn’t surprised to see Kohli make his third hundred in four games. Jaffer even believed that the 33-year-old batter, who has now overcome the dry spell that had plagued him for two to three years, will maintain this form for a very long time.

“When Virat Kohli comes into form, he carries that form for years. And, it’s no surprise that he has got three hundreds in last 4 ODI innings, and one of it is 166. It doesn’t surprise me. He had 2-3 years of really lean patch. He wanted to make runs but things were not happening. Bowlers were bowling their best balls, decisions were going against him but when the tide turns, he is one of those guys who puts in the effort, who works intensively hard whether it’s in gym or training. For those guys who put in so much effort, results are bound to come, and when the results come, they come like this,” said Jaffer on the same show. “When he is playing like that, it’s good news for Indian cricket. It’s a world cup year, and Virat Kohli in this kind of form, is such a big news,” he concluded.