Virat Kohli: One of the favourite sons of India and the poster boy of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli, is turning 31 this Tuesday. It’s astonishing what Virat has been able to achieve already, with plenty of cricket still remaining in his career.
Not only is he the all-time second highest run scorer for India in both ODI and T20I cricket, he is an ODI World Cup winner as well.
As far as test cricket is concerned, Virat might still have a fair distance to cover in terms of closing the gap between him and the other Indian legends as a batsman, but his contribution to India’s test cricket as a captain is second to none.
It’s well documented that Virat is India’s most successful test captain till date on all parameters of statistics.
Not only have India won 31 test matches under Virat so far, which is the most they have won under any captain, Virat’s winning percentage of 60.78 is also the highest among all the Indian captains who have captained India in at least 25 test matches.
Let’s have a look at the 5 qualities that set Virat apart as a batsman and as a captain –
#1 Capability Of Scoring Runs In All Conditions
Some batsmen have this tendency to score heavily in their home conditions, but when they travel overseas and come across unfamiliar conditions, they struggle to replicate the same kind of form.
This doesn’t apply to Virat. He is prolific in all conditions. Whether he has to deal with the turning ball in Asia or the seaming and the swinging ball in the southern hemisphere, he has got it in his armory to deal with any kind of bowling.
It reflects in his numbers as well. Virat has played 69 test innings in Asia so far scoring 3830 runs at an average of 63.83 with 14 hundreds.
Comparing that to the 70 test innings Virat has played outside Asia, he has scored a total of 3236 runs at an average of 56.77 with 12 hundreds. There is no drastic difference in the two sets of numbers.
#2 Temperament Of Setting Up A Game And Closing It Himself
Virat generally bats at no. 3 for India in white ball cricket and the job of a no. 3 batsman is to set up a game for his team by providing an ideal platform to the middle and the lower middle order to finish it.
But, Virat, after laying the platform. doesn’t often leave the job unfinished for anyone else. He sets up the game himself and finishes it himself too.
India have won 146 ODI matches chasing the target successfully with Virat there in the side. In those 146 ODIs, Virat has been dismissed only 54 times and has operated at an average of 96.55 which is scintillating.
The picture in T20I cricket is not too different either. Out of India’s 45 successful chases in T20I cricket in Virat’s presence in the XI, Virat has got out only 10 times and has averaged 111.50.
#3 Emphasis On Fitness
Virat’s success on the cricket field is not down to his talent alone. It’s a lot down to the hard work he has put behind the scenes.
The Indian captain believes that having cricketing skills is a gift, but if the skills aren’t enhanced with proper fitness, a cricketer can’t do justice to his talent 100%.
Not only has Virat worked on his own fitness which has obviously helped him take his game to a different level as a batsman, he has made sure the other Indian players also emphasize on fitness.
He has introduced the yo-yo test as a compulsory criterion for selection in the Indian team. If you fail the yo-yo test, it doesn’t matter how talented you are or what your current form is, you won’t get selected.
Some people might not agree to the concept of the yo-yo test, but what it has done is it has transformed India into one of the best fielding sides in the world and the credit for that goes to none other than Virat.
#4 Knowledge Of Using The Fast Bowlers Effectively
India have never been known for a rich tradition of fast bowlers. Yes, they used to find one or two world-class fast bowlers in every era, but they never had a proper stock of fast bowlers. like they had of spinners.
However, now under Virat, India have a proper stock of fast bowlers. While the coaches at the junior level are also responsible for that, the way Virat has handled the fast bowlers, especially in test cricket, is worth appreciation.
He has used them in short bursts and has used them with the attacking mind-set of getting wickets rather than with the mind-set of going through the overs.
Virat’s knowledge of how to use the fast bowlers effectively in test cricket is the reason why the Indian fast bowlers have been way more productive in the 5-day format in the recent years.
And, it has also gone a long way in improving India’s overall performance in test matches overseas. It’s only the last season that India, under the captaincy of Virat, beat Australia in a test series in Australia for the first time ever in their history.
The Indian fast bowlers in that series out-bowled the Australian fast bowlers in their own backyard.
#5 Being Gracious In Defeats
It’s not that Virat has experienced only success in his career, he has seen failures too, but whenever he has had to deal with a failure, he has been very gracious.
Normally people think of Virat as someone who likes to express himself on the field a bit more than the other players do, which is true, but he also knows how to carry himself after a setback.
Following India’s devastating defeats in the Champions Trophy 2017 final and the ODI World Cup 2019 semi-final, Virat kept a check on his emotions.
Not only was he very quick to go and congratulate the opposition, he faced the press with a clear view of the situation and with a firm attitude. He didn’t shy away from the questions.
Virat Kohli knew he was the leader of the side and he needed to be a rock for his players. If his shoulders had gone down, the players would have nobody to look up to.