New year promises new highs for Kohli

NEWDELHI: Shelf lives of India captains are normally bookended by ICC events. For MS Dhoni, his captaincy began with the World T20 win in 2007 but ended with heartbreak at the same event’s semifinal in 2016. Like Dhoni, Virat Kohli’s shorter format captaincy too starts in the year of an ICC event --- the Champions Trophy. The most successful team in this event alongside Australia, India will depend heavily on Kohli to play a pivotal role as captain and batsman.

His form and mental state indicate Kohli is ready to take 2017 by storm. Averaging 92.4 in his last 10 ODI innings, Kohli only needs to take off from where he had left before Diwali. In fact, the three ODIs against England this month will be the only dress rehearsal for the Champions Trophy. So getting a favourable result apart from improving his figures at home should top his priorities.

The newly-appointed India captain anyway has had runaway success at home. In the 68 ODIs he has played at home since his debut in 2009, Kohli has scored 3410 runs at 58.21 and a strike rate of 93.90. Scores in his last 10 ODIs at home read 65, 45, 154*, 9, 85*, 7, 138, 77, 12 and 11 so it’s clear that when he scores, he scores big. That trend shouldn’t abate this year as well. Then there is also the ICC rankings factor that could keep Kohli alert. Trailing the top-ranked AB de Villiers by just 13 points, Kohli could use this England ODI series as a chance to close in on his RCB buddy.