"He is not a normal human" - Salman Butt pinpoints what separates Virat Kohli from others
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt believes that Team India's ace batter, Virat Kohli, is miles ahead of the competition. He pointed out several traits that set the champion cricketer apart from the rest.
Butt suggested that in the coming years, Kohli could very well establis himself as the greatest ever to have played the game. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said:
"Everything from his attitude to concentration to work ethic to preparation to attention to detail, everything is top-notch. Have you ever heard him speak? If you see his clips, you will know the kind of in-depth knowledge of himself and the game he has."
"He is not a normal human. He is a proper World No. 1. There are just two players in the world with such performances to their names, and he might be the No. 1 to have ever played the game in the coming years. So, we are not talking about any international player; he is THE player," Butt added.
Virat Kohli was one of the standout performers with the bat for India in the recently concluded two-match Test series against South Africa. With 172 runs from four innings at an average of 43.00, he finished as the second-highest run-getter of the rubber.
"Made a big difference" - Salman Butt on Mukesh Kumar's impactful performance in Cape Town Test
The Indian bowlers ran riot in the second and final Test, bundling out South Africa for 55 and 176 runs in first and second innings, respectively. The Men in Blue completed a seven-wicket win, successfully chasing down the 79-run target on the second day.
Salman Butt noted that pacer Mukesh Kumar dismissing Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi early in the second innings was a big turning point. He added:
"The two early wickets by Mukesh Kumar made a big difference. He dismissed Dean Elgar, who had played an outstanding knock in the previous match, and then Tony de Zorzi, who looked in good form in the ODI series. So, those were crucial wickets for India. What Jasprit Bumrah did after that was a clean-up job."
Aiden Markram was the lone warrior for South Africa in the second innings. While batters from both sides struggled on the treacherous pitch, the opening batter notched up his seventh Test century, scoring 106 runs off 103 balls.
Lauding Markram's effort, Butt said:
"Aiden Markran showed positive intent, despite some unplayable bowing and extra bounce. He failed in the last few innings, which could be the reason why he opted to go with such an approach this time. He played good cricket, but it was not good enough to challenge India."
India bounced back after an embarrassing defeat in Centurion to win their maiden Test against South Africa in Cape Town and level the series 1-1.