Virat Kohli - Top 3 underrated innings of the Cricketing Genius
Virat Kohli is an enigma. He turns 33 today and fans will know that the great batsman has a lesser number of years ahead of him in his career. There isn’t much new one can say to describe the sheer genius that Kohli is.
To the man we all #Believe in, and whose passion inspires us every day.
Happy birthday, #KingKohli! ❤️
@imVkohli | #HappyBirthdayVirat #HappyBirthdayKohli #HappyBirthdayViratKohli https://t.co/nYLLmviUen
This article will look at 3 underrated Virat Kohli innings that not many might remember, but were gems that showcased his mastery of the craft of batting.
#3 138(140) vs South Africa – Chennai – 2015 (ODI)
Kohli’s 23rd ODI century was a special one as it helped India level the series against South Africa. He entered the fray at 28-1 after 4.5 overs and saw the second wicket fall in the 8th over, with the score at just 35.
India needed a big score to prevent the uber-strong South African batting line-up from running away with the match. Kohli provided them with just that.
On a pitch that was providing a wee bit of assistance to bowlers, he paced his innings to perfection. Kohli started off by looking for the 1s and 2s, before forcing the pace towards the end. 84 of his 138 runs came in 1s and 2s, with the rest coming in 6 fours and 5 sixes.
The 11 hits to the boundary is the third least among all ODI innings of 130+ in cricket. Kohli took the score to 299/8, which was more than enough for India to win by 35 runs and level the series.
#2 153(217) vs South Africa – Centurion – 2018 (Test)
Though India lost this match by a massive 135 runs, the result could have been even worse for them if not for Virat Kohli’s sheer brilliance with the bat. He walked in to bat in the 10th over with the score at 28-2, and was the last man dismissed at 307.
The entire batting unit crumbled around him. However, he kept the bowling unit of Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi at bay with remarkable confidence.
Kohli was in the zone as the South African bowlers looked to deny him strike and scoring opportunities by bowling wide outside off. But he capitalized on whatever was bowled straight or on his pads, as he scored at an incredible strike rate of 70.50. India ended up on 307, a 28 run deficit in the first innings.
#1 90*(55) vs Australia – Adelaide – 2016 (T20I)
Put into bat by Aaron Finch, India started off well, but quickly lost both their openers – Rohit Sharma & Shikhar Dhawan – in the 5th over. India had slipped to 41-2 in 5 overs. 2016 was Kohli’s year, and his red-hot streak continued with this chanceless unbeaten 90.
His 55 ball knock was punctuated with 9 fours and 2 sixes, as he reconstructed the innings in company of Suresh Raina. The most special shot of them all was a flat flicked six over square leg of Shaun Tait, a shot that was worth the admission ticket. This masterclass from Kohli pushed India to 188-3, helping the team register a comfortable 37 run victory.
For the latest T20 World Cup points table, click here.