Virat Kohli achieved something that seemed highly improbable. The innings he played against Sri Lanka was like a page out of a fairy tale and made everyone believe that impossible is not a word in his dictionary. Nothing like it had happened before, and there is a good chance it will never happen again. His 133 off 86 balls ensured that India have something to cherish from this disastrous Australian summer. Even if India do not reach the finals, which depends entirely on the outcome of Friday’s match between Sri Lanka and Australia, the innings this young man played will be remembered for a long time.
His blitz at Bellerive Oval has set new benchmarks for limited-overs batting. It has made him the only Indian centurion on this miserable tour Down Under, and he has jumped to the top of the tri-series batting charts. His innings recalls the 1992 tour of Australia, when Indian greats such as Sanjay Manjrekar and Mohammad Azharuddin failed and only one man stood like a rock against the mighty Australian attack, scoring centuries in Sydney and Perth. You have guessed it right: it was none other than the Little Master, Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli’s outing in Australia has brought him into direct comparison with Tendulkar, and if you compare their early records, Kohli comes out well ahead. He is being touted as a threat to Sachin’s ODI century tally, if not his Test tally.
Kohli is a fine player who beat a lot of more experienced players to cement his place in the team. But it is too early to compare him with the great Sachin Tendulkar. He has it in him to match Sachin, but he will need time before he establishes himself as the next one. For now, let us look at what he has that could take him into Sachin’s league.
Class apart
Like Sachin Tendulkar, he is a class apart and has something in him that could give him that extra mileage. He plays with conviction and is not intimidated by anything. He lets his bat do the talking.
Temperament
His temperament puts him in a different league. He does not crumble under pressure, and for the record, his best innings have come under pressure.
Big-match player
He has proved that he is a big-match player who can take responsibility for finishing a match. He is a good hitter of the ball, knows exactly what to do and when, and is a brisk run-scorer. He scores at a good rate and puts the opposition under pressure.
More than a utility player
He can bowl too, and has given India important breakthroughs in the past. Sachin also had a knack for taking important wickets and earned the nickname “Man with the golden arm”. Kohli has it in him to become the next golden arm for the Men in Blue.
Plays all the shots
Virat Kohli can play all the shots in the book. Unlike some of his colleagues who struggle against short deliveries, he handles them well. He has shown on this tour that he can pull and hook on fast, bouncy pitches.
Never-say-die attitude
Even when the team seems to have no chance of winning, Virat Kohli has it in him to strive for victory on his own. Sachin has been doing it for the past two decades, and Virat has been doing it in the recent past.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
