Goa, Nov. 30 -- "We salute the master!", that was the cheer echoing around the JSCA stadium when Virat Kohli walked out to bat on a bright sunnt afternoon in Ranchi. And just as he so often does, he began the run show against a South African side who were riding high after their 2-0 Test series win in India. But in coloured jerseys, the story looked very different as the Proteas struggled with the ball.

Well, for Kohli, his extraordinary consistency has pushed him past several benchmarks once believed untouchable by many. His 52nd ODI hundred in Ranchi, scored in the opening match against Proteas, added yet another feather to his illustrious ODI cap. With this ton, Kohli extended his own record for the most ODI hundreds in men's cricket,...