On Virat Kohli's 35th birthday, Eden Gardens decks up with a classy tribute to the talisman

Virat Kohli's 35th birthday celebrations will be nothing short of a spectacle at the Eden Gardens as Kolkata sets up a grand stage for the big day. Only recently, it emerged that the Indian talisman will be presented with a 'Gold-Plated' bat by the Cricket Association of Bengal, or the CAB, and in the same vein, to make things all the more special, we learn that stadium has been adored with 48 special cutouts featuring the man himself. 

What do these cutouts represent? Well, each of them depicts Virat Kohli's trademark jubilant celebrations after scoring a 100 in ODI cricket and considering that he has mustered about 48 of them already, you can imagine just how majestic the Eden Gardens adornment would look like. Here are a couple of pictures for reference:

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Of course, as Team India takes on an in-form South Africa on Sunday, the whole nation and beyond is sure to maintain a keen eye on Kohli's knock, as he inches close to the mighty record set by his predecessor Sachin Tendulkar. The Delhi-born batter is an extremely good knick at the moment with 442 runs out of 7 games and is placed at #3 in the Golden Bat race. His captain and Team India's opener Rohit Sharma is two places below at #5 with 402 runs in as many games. 

Quinton de Kock, the elegant wicket-keeper/batsman for South Africa, tops the table with 545 runs and New Zealand superstar in the making, Rachin Ravindra, is in the second spot with 523 runs in 8 games.

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Coming back to Virat Kohli's birthday celebrations, fans have posted themselves well in advance of the game to catch a glimpse of the superstar during the practice sessions. "Happy Birthday" chants were yelled out joyfully by hundreds of them who will most likely join the thousands of others at the Eden Gardens to shout out the perfect birthday roar for King Kohli. Alongside, we will also get to see India and South Africa battling it out for the top spot in the semi-final race.

Also Read: Virat Kohli turns 35: Anushka Sharma's goofy birthday post for her husband steals hearts; reveals he's 'exceptional in every role in his life'