You can't compare Virat with Sachin: Gautam Gambhir

Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli started 2023 with a bang after registering his 45th ODI century in the first ODI against Sri Lanka at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The batting superstar equaled the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's incredible feat of hitting 20 centuries in a country, the joint-most by any batter. While former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir acknowledged Kohli's record-equalling innings, he reckoned it was harder to score runs during Sachin's era.

Virat Kohli ended his century drought in ODIs against Bangladesh in Chattogram last month and registered his second successive ton exactly a month later against Sri Lanka. Although the visitors handed him two lives, the batting ace was at his mercurial best during his stay in the middle. Ex-Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, who was Kohli's senior pro during the 2011 World Cup, praised the batting star for his latest landmark.

However, Gambhir, who shared the dressing room with the great Sachin Tendulkar during his playing career, reckoned it was harder to score runs during Sachin's era as the field restrictions weren't as favorable for the batters as it is today.

"you can't compare Virat with Sachin. In Sachin's era there weren't 5 players inside the 30-yard circle," Gambhir said to Star Sports.

The cricketer-turned-expert did not hold back while talking about the Sri Lankan bowling after the first innings. He was left disappointed by the visitors' ordinary bowling performance against a quality Indian side.

"It was pretty ordinary bowling. The top three of the Indian batting line-up have got lots and lots of runs behind them. Rohit and Kohli obviously, Shubman also has the ability to get so many runs in international cricket. And how easy it was for Rohit and Shubman to get runs today. That was a surprise for me. You have to be consistent and Sri Lanka's bowling outing was very very disappointing for me," Gambhir added after the first innings.

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