"Rohit Sharma is very lucky to have Virat Kohli" - Former batter's huge statement after IND vs AUS 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali reserved high praise for Team India's ace batter Virat Kohli after the Men in Blue's four-wicket win over Australia in the 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal on Tuesday, March 4. He opined that India captain Rohit Sharma was lucky to have a player like Kohli in his team.

Kohli was the top performer with the bat for India in the crucial knockout clash. He scored 84 runs off 98 balls, helping the side chase down a tricky 265-run target at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel by the name 'Basit Ali', here's what the cricketer-turned-expert said about Kohli's importance in the Rohit Sharma-led side (from 10:54):

"Rohit Sharma is very lucky to have Virat Kohli in his team."

Basit pointed out that even if Kohli failed with the bat, he was very proactive in the field and found a way to contribute by giving suggestions to the captain or rallying the crowd. The cricketer-turned-expert remarked (from 10:54):

"Even if he gets out on zero, he gives everything on the field. He gives advice to the captain. Everyone watches what he does. If the team needs support, he urges the crowd to cheer. A team that has a player like Virat Kohli can lose at times, but not for too long, because he knows how to perform."

Kohli is India's leading run-getter in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The veteran batter has amassed 217 runs across four innings at an average of 72.33. During his 84-run knock against Australia, he completed 24 fifty-plus scores in ICC ODI tournaments, the most by any batter.

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"For me, these things do not matter anymore" - Virat Kohli on missing out on a hundred in IND vs AUS 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal

Virat Kohli missed out on a well-deserved ton in the 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal. However, he wasn't quite upset about it and stated that milestones didn't matter to him any more.

He emphasized that even if he didn't get a hundred, the happy environment in the dressing room after winning such a crucial game was very pleasing. Speaking in the post-match presentation, the 36-year-old said:

"I'm never focused on those things - when you don't think of those milestones they happen along the way, for me it's about taking pride for the team. If the hundred comes, good, if not, there's a happy dressing room when you win. For me, these things do not matter anymore."

The 2025 Champions Trophy final will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 9. India will face the winner of the semifinal between South Africa and New Zealand in the summit clash.