Undoubtedly, Virat Kohli is the hottest ODI batsman on the planet, writes The Times Of India, adding that what the statistics seems to suggest, especially when compared to the other batting greats at a similar stage — 85 games — of their respective careers. Consider this. None of the following — Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Dean Jones, M S Dhoni, Michael Bevan, and even Sachin Tendulkar and Vivian Richards — had a better record than Kohli at this stage.
“After 85 games, Kohli has scored 11 centuries. Nobody comes close; Lara (5) and Pointing (5) being next. In this illustrious bunch, Kohli’s overall strike rate of 86.31 is third only to Dhoni’s 96.26 and Richards’s 86.99 at the same stage. And his average (50.56) is second only to Bevan’s 56.54,” says the article
According to a report in Hindustan Times, Virat Kohli has rapidly emerged as India's big hope maiden Test ton in Adelaide, the hurricane knock in Hobart and two more tons in Asia Cup make him the next big thing in Indian cricket, adds the report.
“Virat Kohli has become the toast of the cricket world, neutral fans and even rival players like Kevin Pietersen joining in to rejoice with Indian supporters. The 23year-old Delhi batsman, hailed for his class and temperament, could not have timed the innings any better. If such a massive effort, in a must-win clash against archrivals Pakistan and while chasing, was not enough, Virat has single-handedly lifted the spirits of a nation agonising after the team's miserable second successive overseas campaign. To add to that, Sachin Tendulkar's much-awaited 100th international century against Bangladesh had also been drowned in defeat,” writes HT.
Meanwhile, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said that Kohli’s 183 was the best one-day innings he has seen in recent times, says a report in HT. “Virat Kohli's 183 was the best one-day innings I have seen in recent times,“ Ganguly said, adding, “Kohli is the right person to replace Rahul Dravid at No.3 for India,“ he said.
Talking in same vein Intikhab Alam, former akistan captain and coach, said that Virat Kohli is of a different mettle. “I have seen some great knocks played in India-Pakistan games. The one that comes to mind immediately is Saeed Anwar’s 194, in Chennai, in the 1997 Independence Cup. I feel this innings of Virat’s is as good as that,” said Alam, according to a report in TOI.
