Virat Kohli: The cricketing phenomenon

Virat Kohli

The golden era of Indian cricket has come to an end; The big four – Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly – have all taken up different routes, leaving Virat Kohli to take up the mantle. Kohli is the personification of a modern day cricketer. He is aggressive with the bat and doesn’t shy away from expressing his emotions in public. The 25-year-old has made his presence felt across all formats of the game, thereby cementing his place in the Indian side till he decides to call it quits. He is the glue that holds the nation’s batting line-up together.

The Delhi-born came into the limelight with his performances in the 2008 U-19 World Cup held in Malaysia, where he scored 235 runs in 6 matches at an average of 47. He went on to don the Indian colours in the same year.

6 years later, the whole world has been taken aback by the Virat Kohli phenomenon. He has been breaking record after record. He was the quickest batsman to get to the 4,000 runs mark in international cricket, matching Sir Vivian Richard’s record, who had also taken 96 matches to achieve the feat. He is the X-factor for any side that he represents, be it his national side or the IPL one. His ability to shift gears instantaneously while batting makes him an asset of the highest possible value. He has all the shots in the book, and his shot selection and timing are simply masterful. He is an excellent fielder, as well, and can also roll his arm over if necessary.

Kohli isn’t just a bundle of talent, but he is a cricketer who has good head on his shoulders and can play according to the situation. His ability to select the right shot to play to a ball puts him above most batsmen in the world; as a result, he doesn’t end up giving away his wicket cheaply. This is clearly evident in his batting average which is 52.16 in ODIs, 46.51 in Tests and 40.77 in T20s. He is in most cases done in by an absolute beast of a delivery. He recently scored 100 runs off 52 balls in an ODI against Australia at Jaipur while chasing 359, which is the fastest ever by an Indian in any format of the game. India won the match with 6.3 overs to spare, which shows the ease with which he did it.

Also, he displays a maturity way beyond his years. He adapts himself to the necessities of the team. This has made him India’s best chaser, with a stunning average of 64.68 while batting second. Not only has he brought in new dimensions to batting, his bubbling energy and impulsive reactions have also added a tinge of freshness to cricket. His recent ventures in the Asia Cup have proven that he could be an able captain, as well. His multi-faceted abilities suggest that he is definitely one for the future. Maybe, he will do one better than Sachin Tendulkar, as the legendary Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev believes.