Bharat Ratna For Virat Kohli: AIGF Writes To PM Narendra Modi
Jan 9, 2019 at 3:41 PM
On the occasion of Virat Kohli turning 30 on Monday, the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging the country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna for the India skipper.
The way Virat Kohli is batting at the moment, there is no denying that he is well on his way to create his own legacy in the game. With every passing innings, the India skipper is achieving a new milestone. He is already the second leading centurion in One-Day Internationals. The right-handed batsman has slammed 38 centuries in just 208 innings.Not surprisingly, he is the fastest to achieve the milestone.
In the recently-concluded ODIs against Windies, he reached his 10,000 ODI runs. In doing so, he became the fastest to achieve the milestone, thus breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record. He crossed the mark during his unbeaten 157 in the tied match in Visakhapatnam. It was his 205th innings and 213th ODI. On the other hand, Sachin had breached the mark in his 259th innings and 266th match. Kohli had also scored three centuries on the trot in the series.
In Tests, he has scored 24 centuries and 19 fifties. He averages over 54 in Tests and more than 59 in ODIs. In T20Is, he averages nearly 50.
And All India Gaming Federation believes Kohli has done enough to receive the prestigious Bharat Ratna.
“Cricket is one of the most loved sports in the country and Virat Kohli has captivated the hearts & minds of billions with his scintillating performances over the past years. AIGF strongly believes that it is only befitting that his efforts in enhancing India’s stature & image in the global sporting arena are adequately recognized by bestowing the honour of Bharat Ratna,” the letter read.
“Honouring Kohli with India’s highest civilian award will mean awarding talent, merit and hard work,” it said.
So far, only former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is the only sports personality till date who has been bestowed the nation’s highest civilian honour.