‘Thank you, Gambhir’: Virat fans go berserk as Kohli hits back-to-back ODI centuries against South Africa

Virat Kohli’s red-hot run in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa has sent cricket fans into a frenzy, with social media flooded by celebrations and cheeky shout-outs to Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir. The former captain followed up his match-winning hundred in Ranchi with another fluent century in Raipur, marking a powerful return to the 50-over format. Kohli struck 135 off 120 balls in the opening ODI, guiding India to a 17-run victory. In Raipur, he reached his second straight ton in just 90 deliveries. The moment came off a sharp single against Marco Jansen, prompting deafening “Kohli! Kohli!” chants across the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium.

Fans erupt, credit Gambhir for ‘unleashing’ Kohli

Kohli’s resurgence sparked a flood of reactions online, with many crediting Gambhir for reigniting the legendary batter’s competitive edge.

Also Read: Virat Kohli smashes back-to-back tons against South Africa as India bat strong in Raipur


“Dear Gambhir, thank you for bringing back that egoistic 2016-17 version of Virat Kohli,” wrote one user.

Another added, “Gautam Gambhir messed with the wrong guys. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli seem more focused on the 2027 World Cup than any youngster. These two would be my first names on the team sheet.”

Kohli rises to No. 4 in ICC ODI rankings

The century in Ranchi also propelled Kohli up the ICC ODI batting rankings. The 37-year-old climbed to No. 4 with 751 points, overtaking Shubman Gill, who slipped to fifth after missing the South Africa series due to a neck injury. Rohit Sharma continues at No. 1 with 783 points, followed by Daryl Mitchell (766) and Ibrahim Zadran (764).

Kohli now owns 52 ODI hundreds, further reinforcing his position as one of the greatest run-scorers the format has seen.

Return to domestic cricket: Kohli confirms Hazare Trophy availability

Kohli has also confirmed his availability for the Vijay Hazare Trophy starting December 24, Delhi & District Cricket Association president Rohan Jaitley told PTI. It will be his first appearance in the tournament since 2010.

“How many games he plays is not clear, but his presence will be a massive boost for the dressing room,” Jaitley said. Delhi open their campaign against Andhra in Bengaluru and are grouped with Gujarat, Saurashtra, Odisha, Services, Railways and Haryana.

Delhi’s matches are scheduled across Alur, the Chinnaswamy Stadium and the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds. However, uncertainty remains over fixtures at the Chinnaswamy Stadium following the June 4 stampede that resulted in 11 deaths during RCB’s celebrations.

Kohli will not feature in the knockout stage should Delhi advance, as he is set to join India’s ODI squad for the New Zealand series in January next year.

Crowd magnet even in domestic cricket

Earlier this year, Kohli’s surprise feature in a Ranji Trophy game drew more than 12,000 spectators—an extraordinary turnout for a domestic match. The outing came as part of his preparation for national duty, though he shocked many by announcing his Test retirement ahead of the England tour.

With BCCI making domestic cricket mandatory for contracted players unless injured or on national duty, Kohli’s presence in Delhi’s campaign is expected to draw significant crowds.

(Inputs from PTI)