5 Innings which helped Kohli become chase master

Virat Kohli, without any shadow of a doubt, has etched his name in the hall of batting pantheons of limited overs. He is unquestionably the greatest modern-day limited-overs batsman and is also well on his way in becoming one of the greatest batsmen the sport has ever seen.

He has the water-tight defence to complement his risk aversing shots, which comes at a more than acceptable strike rate without any dip in his averages. While this level of consistency and ever-increasing level of domination has become a constant sight in the last couple of seasons, it took him years of unrelenting practice day in and day out to emerge out as a perfect batsman that we see today.

The complete batsman we see today, was not without flaws and imperfections when he burst onto the scene as a feisty plump teenager. He had just captained a team of naive but resolute teenagers to a U-19 World Cup triumph in Malaysia in 2008. It was India's only second title and first in 8 years, but it seemed to have made more noise than even the CB series finals of 2008 that India handsomely won 2-0 in the best of 3 finals.

Virat Kohli was not the best batsman in that tournament by a fair distance, but he was a leader par excellence while leading his team into the finals bringing the trophy home. He was fast-tracked to the national side as his name started doing the rounds. It was a pretty disappointing series with the bat, he scored only one fifty with bat playing in all 5 ODI matches.

This opportunity, coming at the cost of the injured duo of Tendulkar and Sehwag, meant that any further chances at playing for the country would be fewer and farther in between. This did not deter the then-teenager. He diligently worked hard at his batting in the domestic circuit to make a return in 2009 and never to look back ever since.

So, here is a look those five matches that made him the ODI chasing colossal that he is today and how it shaped him in becoming a modern-day batting great :

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#5) India vs Sri Lanka, 4th ODI Eden Gardens, 2009

Virat Kohli's very first ton in international cricket against Sri Lanka in 2009

Sri Lanka had come to India for a bilateral ODI tour. It was the 4th ODI match of the series in which India cantered to a comfortable win while chasing. Sri Lanka had set India a daunting but gettable target of 316 in 50 overs. It was gettable due to India's vaunted batting lineup that consisted of Tendulkar, Sehwag and Gambhir at the top.

But it was not to be. With both the openers back in the hut at the score of 23, India were in a tricky situation. The flashes of brilliance were always there whenever Virat went out to bat up until this ODI match, but it was about making a statement. He had his job cut out, which was to support his partner and anchor the chase. And he did just that. Although unable to finish the match, early seeds of a chaser were already sown. He made a memorable 107 runs.

RESULT: INDIA WON BY 7 WICKETS IN 48.1 OVERS || VIRAT KOHLI'S SCORE:107(114)

#4) Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai India, CLT20 2010 Match #15

Kohli could not finish off the match for his team

While his first century in ODI cricket came in a stiff but an easy chase, this Champions League match was a completely different ball game.

While he had not changed much in his batting approach since his debut ODI century, this innings was a sign of things to come. RCB were chasing a tricky 166 runs on a two-paced wicket.

Kohli came in to bat at No. 6 when RCB needed 66 runs off 37 balls with Dravid at the other end. What followed, was an exhibition of shots all around the park. The Delhite raced to 24 runs in 14 balls and the next 15 runs in 5 balls. In the process, he smashed Malinga for 13 runs in 1 over, much before his Hobart's heroics.

The equation came down to 13 in last over, which was reduced to 3 off 1 ball. But he got out to Zaheer Khan on a full toss. He scored 47 runs in that innings.

RESULT: RCB LOST BY 2 RUNS || VIRAT KOHLI'S SCORE:47(24)

#3) India vs Sri Lanka, 11th Match CB Series 2012, Hobart

Virat Kohli's career's most famous chase:133* vs Sri Lanka 2012

The equation was pretty simple, to stay alive in the competition India had to chase whatever target Sri Lanka set in 40 overs or less. Bowling first, the Indian bowlers were smashed all around the park by the Lankan batsman. The Islanders set a target of 321 for India.

Kohli, in a post-match interview, stated that he had divided target in two chases of 20 overs of 160 runs each. The naivety of the statement was not seen in his approach as he raced away to arguably his most famous century to see India home and metamorphically drag his team back from the airport.

The crowning moment of the ton was when he smashed Malinga all around the park nonchalantly to raid 24 runs off his over, scoring 133* runs in the end.

RESULT: INDIA WON BY 7 WICKETS IN 36.4 OVERS || VIRAT KOHLI'S SCORE:133*(86)

#2) India vs Australia, 2nd ODI Jaipur, 2013

Virat Kohli smashed the record of fastest century in ODI cricket by an Indian: 100*(52)

This was supposed to be an insurmountable chase that, if achieved, would go down in history as the second greatest chase of all time. Team India were set a target of 360 runs to chase in 50 overs. It was on the back of five 50+ scores from the first five batsmen in the Aussie lineup.

India started on an adrenaline rush that was needed to get a head start in the chase, and the rush never stopped. At the fall of the first wicket at 176 runs, India still needed 184 runs from 143 balls. India did it next 104 balls with Kohli going berserk, scoring 100 off 52 balls and Rohit scoring 141* off 123 balls.

This was Kohli's 17th ODI ton and 9th in the chase. He had unleashed his inner untamed beast to make a mockery of an otherwise improbable target.

RESULT: INDIA WON BY 9 WICKETS IN 43.3 OVERS || VIRAT KOHLI'S SCORE:100*(52)

#1) India vs Australia, WT20 31st Match Mohali, 2016

Virat Kohli in arguably the most measured and complete chase of his career:82*(51)

The evening was set for a cracker of a match, with it being touted as a virtual quarter-final between India and Australia. India, as a collective unit, were not performing well. The team was blowing hot and cold in lead up to the tourney and in the tourney as well.

India, who had scantily managed a 1 run win over Bangladesh, were smashed all around the park as the Aussie openers raced to 54 in 25 balls. However, Indian bowlers did well to restrict them to 160.

The chase was never going to be an easy one with an above par total on a two-paced wicket. The top order, barring Kohli, had failed as the scorecard read 4/94 at the end of 14 overs.

With Dhoni at the crease, it still looked an unlikely chase as the equation came down to 39 off the last 18 balls. Although Kohli had reached 50, he had consumed 40 balls in doing so.

What followed next, became the stuff of legends. Kohli scored 32 runs off next 11 balls which brought the equation down to 4 off the last over. India won the match comfortably with 5 balls to spare.

RESULT: INDIA WON BY 6 WICKETS IN 19.1 OVERS || VIRAT KOHLI'S SCORE:82*(51)

Virat Kohli, in his rawness and usual inimitable style, may not possess those talents people so often talk about, but he has the might and indefatigability to take the game by its scruff and then mould it according to his own stubborn will.