JOIN USThe phenomenal rise of Kohli
On seamer-friendly pitches in Asia Cup T20, where the ball has menacingly zipped and moved, Virat Kohli has doggedly counterpunched. Bigger the challenge, sharper his instincts to take it head on.
It is a glowing testimony to the Delhi batsman’s growing maturity and self-belief. Importantly, his aggression has not been limited only to the folds of his persona. It has been constructively used by him as a weapon to tame the adverse situations.
While India seems to be peaking at the right time for World T20, it is Kohli's stunning form that holds promise for the team ahead of the mega event.
That the 27-year-old thrives under pressure isn’t new. Majority of his 50-over centuries have come while chasing. He has now also imposed himself in Twenty20 format, where he is ranked No.2. The faith he has in his abilities has stood out in the last couple of months the way he has guided India's batting in the format.
Against Pakistan, India were in middle of a tense chase and the left-arm tearaway Mohammad Aamir was on fire. Kohli, too, was beaten by him but had the nerve to congratulate him in the middle of the match.
Unlike others, he was relishing the challenge. He took his time before unleashing back-to-back boundaries off Aamir, who in his first three overs was sensational, even unplayable at times. But Kohli loves to challenge his own limits.
His counterattacking skills surfaced again in Tuesday’s contest against Sri Lanka. Indian openers were dismissed cheaply but Kohli dug in. He saw Yuvraj Singh going for the big hits and wisely allowed him take centrestage.
With the cricketing acumen he has, Kohli can pick the bowlers he wants to go after and pace the innings beautifully. Even defending a ball for him has to have the aggression. Captaincy in Tests has only added to his game.
Dhoni admitted that Kohli has grown into a mature cricketer. “Over the years, he has turned into somebody who reads the game very well. Overall he's looking a much more matured cricketer. But at the same time he's backing that with the skill he has. He's someone who puts in a lot of effort in training. Overall, he's been just fantastic for the side.”
Stats prove claim
Statistics further attest the this view. Kohli has a batting average of 93.16 in successful chases in T20Is, his aggregate being 559 in 12 innings, including six fifties.
In T20Is this year, Kohli is averaging 103.66 – his aggregate being 311 in six innings, including four fifties (the scores being 90 not out followed by 59 not out & 50 vs Australia, 7 vs Bangladesh, 49 vs Pakistan and 56 not out vs Sri Lanka).
Yet Kohli is not the man who would muscle the ball out of the stadium.He has hit 139 boundaries against his 27 sixes in 34 T20 international innings. His consistency, however, has been achieved with his pragmatic approach about his skill set.
“I have come to terms with the fact that I can’t hit too many sixes so I would focus on boundaries. I have moulded my games towards that and try to hit the ball in the gaps and get boundaries rather than hit sixes which is a higher risk shot," he recently said. There is no doubt Kohli remains an important cog in India’s wheel of fortune.