‘The Best Batsman of This Era’ - Chappell In Awe Of Virat Kohli Before IND vs AUS Final
Virat Kohli has been in scintillating form
Indian stalwart, Virat Kohli has been the centre of attention at the World Cup 2023 with a series of extraordinary performances. The 35-year-old recently achieved a historic milestone by scoring his 50th ODI century, surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar for the most centuries in ODI cricket.
Ian Chappell lauds Kohli's World Cup exploits
Throughout his career, Kohli has often been compared to contemporaries such as Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root, sparking intense debates about who stands as the top batter. In the current World Cup, hosted in India, Kohli has distinguished himself from his peers. His exceptional form has led him to amass over 700 runs in the tournament, a record for the most runs by a batter in a single edition of this global event.
Reflecting on Kohli's performance on Wide World of Sports, former Australian captain Ian Chappell acknowledged that while Steve Smith hasn't been at his best, Kohli could be considered the best batter of the current generation. He also lauded Kohli’s mindset and noted the former Indian skipper’s once-unparalleled average of over 50 in all three formats of the game.
“Let’s go back to Kohli first. He doesn’t anymore but there was a point in his career where he averaged over 50 in all three formats. Now, that’s remarkable performance. I think Kohli is probably the best batsman of this era. I like his attitude,” said Chappell.
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The erstwhile cricketer also commended Kohli's approach to batting and his emphasis on fitness, which is especially remarkable given that Kohli is 36 years old. He highlighted Kohli's agility and stamina, particularly in his running between the wickets.
“I heard him interviewed about batting and I think’s he’s got a terrific approach to batting. The other thing to look at is his fitness. He is 36-years of age, have a look at how he was running between the wickets. He is obviously put fitness right up there,” added the Australian great.
Meanwhile, the cricket world is now looking forward to a thrilling encounter as India and Australia are set to compete in the final for the World Cup trophy on Sunday in Ahmedabad. Kohli's recent exploits have certainly set the stage for an exciting showdown in this much-anticipated match.
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