What makes Virat Kohli special
Most of the old-time cricket aficionados have seen it all - the majestic display of batting by Vivian Richards, artistry by Sunil Gavaskar, menacing fast bowling by Dennis Lillee and Malcolm Marshall, superb fielding efforts by Azharuddin and Jonty Rhodes. The old timers usually like to brag about the cricketers from 1970s and 80s era. This is true to a large extent because of the talent, consistency, temperament, and tenacity shown by these cricketers.
Virat Kolhi is the only batsman in the world today, who is watched and loved by the older generation of cricket lovers. They feel he has inherited a lot of qualities from the top batsmen of the previous era. From Richards, he acquired tenacity. Gavaskar taught him the technique, and Tendulkar made him a complete batsman. His evolution has been quick, and that is what they really admire.
He adapted himself quickly to all the three formats of the game. To be leading an IPL side and his country speak volumes about his leadership skills. M.S. Dhoni groomed him nicely for which he must be applauded. Another aspect which they like is he learns very quickly from his contemporaries. Whether it is AB de Villiers or Steven Smith, he has soaked their positives, and that has made him a well-rounded batsman.
Kohli has had a wonderful 2018 so far. In the ODIs, he played 10 matches and scored 889 runs at an average of 127. He scored four centuries and three fifties with a strike rate of 101.25. Similarly, in the Test matches, he has scored 1063 runs in 18 innings at an average of 59.05. This comprised four centuries and four fifties. Kohli has become a run-machine with an insatiable appetite to score for his team and win the matches. Few cricket pundits think he can break Sachin Tendulkar's record of highest runs and the maximum centuries in the Test matches and the ODIs.
He has performed brilliantly both at home and outside India. Kohli averages 59.47 at home while his overseas average is 57.15. This shows that he has adapted his batting approach in all the conditions. This attribute has made him a deadly batsman who can play all kind of shots, anytime and in any condition.
While Kohli is aggressive on the field, he never forgets to acknowledge the opposition when they win or whenever any opposition player scores a century. This is the kind of game-spirit which is needed now in the world cricket, and Kohli is the right person to propagate this message. While his critics keep coming back at him, he never displays any anger or frustration. Instead, he has always let his bat speak for himself.
He is producing splendid innings for India frequently, and they wish that his good form never ends. They see him as a complete batsman, a commanding leader, and a nice man. The Indian fans wish him to keep shining and give them a nice cricketing experience along with his teammates.