What makes Virat Kohli such an amazing chaser?

Over the past couple of years, since the cricket admirers were left all bemused after the retirement of their beloved and most worshiped cricketing star – Sachin Tendulkar, the industry, experts and obviously the fans were hunting to and fro for another talent they can look up to and who can fill in the place of the “Go To man” whenever the team needs a fall back person to win the game.

Although too much has already been spoken about the comparison between Virat Kohli and the astonishingly brilliant sport veteran Tendulkar, it would be really unfair to dig up the dead issue. Also, to give the deserving lad his distinctiveness, let’s keep the comparisons away and look up to how has he fared in contrast to his own self over the course of eight odd years, since he made his international debut.

It has certainly been one of the vibrant stories of the cricketing world, where Kohli, once considered as a brat, is now given the most daunting responsibility in the game. Fortunately for him, he has been able to display his calibre at the right time and with the right attitude to the appropriate set of people.

All of this definitely did not come easily to Kohli. There was a sense of passive pressure felt to have a stable batsman, accommodative leader and a dynamic team player. And he ticked them all off – one after the other – in style.

Though his affiliation with the Blue jersey started way back in 2008 against the Lankans, his performance grabbed the cricket fanatics’ eyeballs only in the past few years, for which the man gives all credits to his hard work. To quote the new skipper himself, “There's no talent here, this is hard work. This is an obsession. Talent does not exist, we all are equals as human beings. You could be anyone if you put in the time.”

There is no denying the fact that Kohli has put in an exorbitant amount of sweat and perspiration to achieve the classic technique that has got him so far and made him a darling, of not only Indian cricket fans but also his fellow teammates.

Like every star, Kohli is living his heyday to the optimum and none can forget his magical form in 2016. It was like the pitch came alive along with the crowd when he walked down to bat. This was more true when India batted in the second innings, and Virat led the run chase. After all, history proves why he merits the tag – The Chase Master.

In the last year, Kohli dominated the game with 3 double centuries in 7 tests (which also happens to be the first by an Indian skipper), 3 centuries in 10 One Day Internationals and 4 in the 15 matches of the homegrown Indian Premier League season.

Not only did he basked in the glory of the number of runs scored, he was also the reason for a number of records that he made and broke. From fastest 25 ODI tons to fastest in crossing the 7500 run mark and many more.

But the icing on the cake for all of us is the manner in which the 28-year-old cricketer manages his temperament in a chase, which is supposed to be more pressurising and stressful than the opposite. To maintain a balance between match preparation & intensity has become a child’s play for him.

Virat has secured a total of 27 ODI centuries out of which 17 were made while chasing. Now the better part is that out of those 17, only two went futile while a massive 15 centuries resulted in contributing for the victory of his side.

His last century scored against England in Pune surpassed the great Sachin Tendulkar record, who stood at 14 tons in successful chases. Now that is something every cricket lover wants to see, a person with the rescue power and determination to accomplish targets.

Pointing out to which in a recent candid interaction, Kohli mentioned how a regular trait of looking for goals in any professional life has helped him achieve brilliance in his run chases.

Not so simple as it sounds, it is indeed a Herculean task to keep the scoreboard ticking, especially during the middle overs of the game. Notably, his best weapon during chases has been taking on the bowlers without scoring a boundary.

That is precisely when the skipper of the opposite team gets perplexed as to how to stop conceding six runs in an over with limited opportunity of dismissal, in the absence of big shots. And just when the bowler gives in, Kohli takes his charge.

Though this seems to be a perfect, conventional plan, it has taken immense efforts for Kohli to become the run machine that he is today. Falling prey to the English in tests away from home not very long ago, he has come out stronger – in technique and temperament.

Changes as minute as widening the stance, apt forward pressing and most tricky – adjusting his toes to direct towards point rather than covers, after being accustomed to the latter since the beginning, has all borne their fruits, and how.

The present day game is a shift from the old ones, as even a target of 350 plus on the scoreboard does not give an iota of assurance of victory, especially with players like Kohli chasing it. As cricket fans, all we could do is pray that his hunger and obsession for the game increases by the day, to get us more records from not only as a batsman this time but as a leader as well.