India’s new vice-captain Virat Kohli is one of the best ODI batsmen going around and Sri Lanka has been the team which has suffered the most from his form. Virat once again played a pivotal role in India’s win that gave them the series as well. Kohli scored the century in the first game at Hambantota and that was his third consecutive century against Sri Lanka.
Kohli missed out in the two following games, but came back with another stupendous hundred in the fourth match.
Kohli now has 13 hundreds to his name and he is the fastest batsman to have scored 13 ODI hundreds. What is more special is that 12 of his hundreds have come in the winning cause. The lone hundred that he scored and India lost the match was against England at Cardiff. India would have won that match as well, if not for rain and some poor death bowling by the Indian bowlers.
Kohli after his match winning innings said, “It has been going good for me. I am just trying to keep things simple. In the last match, I got set and got out. I thought about it and practiced in the nets. It always pleases a sportsperson than when he performs and his team wins.”
Very less did Sri Lanka know that a starry eyed boy who made his debut against them in the ODI’s and scored just 2 runs, would turn out to be their tormentor in chief in the coming years. Kohli has already scored 13 centuries in 89 matches he has played.
Speaking about his 12th century, his fourth in five ODI innings, Kohli said that doing well in Australia really boosted his confidence. "God's been kind, I've been working hard. Hopefully I can be consistent for the team this season. Performing for my country is the biggest thing for me, and I try to give my best out there for the team. Doing well in Australia really boosted my confidence, and that Test hundred really helped."
It is being on for quite some time now that Kohli has hit the purple patch and in his last five ODIs, he has crossed the three figure mark. And it is not only against Sri Lanka, every opponent he faces, he does so with much conviction.
Saying that Kohli is a classy player would not be a revelation of any sorts as everyone knows his quality. Kohli actually did beat a lot of other experienced player to solidify his spot in the team. Nothing new in international cricket, but then Kohli has mastered the art of performing when the need of the hour rises and this is the quality that perhaps made him the second-in-command of the team at such a young age.
The stylish batsman’s steady rise to the stardom has drawn a comparison between him and Sachin Tendulkar. And the Little Master himself acknowledged his performance and said that Kohli has it him to surpass his feat.
In his four years of international career Kohli has proved that he is class apart and has in him which could give him that extra mileage. He plays with conviction and does not get intimidated by anything and lets his bat do the talking. He is fiery yet calm at the same time and his temperament makes him a player of different league. He does not crumble under pressure, and for the records, his best innings have come under pressure.
He has proved that he is a big match player and has it in him to take responsibility to finish the match. He is a good hitter of the ball, knows exactly what to do and when. He is also a brisk run scorer and scores at a good rate and actually puts the opposition under pressure.
Virat Kohli can play all the shots in the book. Unlike some, who have problems facing the short deliveries, he handles them pretty well. Even if there is no chance of the team winning, he has it in himself to strive for the victory on his own.
Indian Sports News Network