The old school repeatability factor sets King Kohli apart

Il back-to-back tons in ODIs is proof of the emphasis he still places on the basics

- Ashish Magotra

Only 43 cricketers in the history of ODIs have scored more than Il centuries in the format. That number is only meant to give you some context for the statistic that is to follow. Virat Kohli, the man who seems to score ODI tons for fun, has scored II back-to-back tons in the 307 matches he has played.

The number is astounding on its own. But it is only when one takes into account that the next best on the back-to-back ton list is AB de Villiers with six that the true weight of the statistic is felt. So much has been written about how Kohli constructs his innings; about how he plans the chase; about why he is the master of the format.

But to find consistent (and record-breaking) success in an era where everyone seems to be chasing variations and the unorthodox requires a certain adherence to the old school of repeatability. Repeatable actions, repeatable shots — do it until it becomes muscle memory and do that long enough and you'll end up a legend.