World Cup 2023: Sudarshan Patnaik wished Virat Kohli for his birthday with a beautiful sand art

Puri (Odisha): India's game against South Africa is special for birthday boy Virat Kohli as he is eyeing to equal cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar's record of most centuries in ODI cricket. The Indian star batter has earned a huge fanbase thanks to his exploits on the field. The fans wish the ace batter in various ways on the special occasion and famous sand artist Padmashri Sudarshan Patnaik chose his art to wish the right-handed batter. He wished Virat Kohli through sand art by creating a replica of him at the Niladri beach here. A stadium and cricket bats surround Kohli's replica in the sand art.  

Kohli is in scintillating form in the ongoing World Cup and has racked up 495 runs with an average of 99. He is also on the verge of equaling Sachin Tendulkar in terms of the number of hundreds in ODI cricket and many cricket fans are eager to see him reach his 49th ODI hundred.

Meanwhile, India's head coach Rahul Dravid praised Virat Kohli on his birthday while ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and India opener Shubman Gill also expressed their emotions.  

"Virat's a legend of the game, especially (in) this format of the game. I think all formats of the game, but particularly this one (50-over), I think his performance and the way he finishes games. The standard of his performance over the years has probably set a benchmark for his generation of cricketers," Rahul Dravid stated while speaking to the International Cricket Council (ICC). "His hunger and passion for the game are unparalleled. I have not seen anyone as hungry as Virat Kohli," Shubman Gill said. 

Ravichandran Ashwin said, "He has changed the DNA of thinking around Indian cricket. How one batsman needs to perceive and prepare for the game."

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