‘Fit and firing on all cylinders’
KOLKATA: Virat Kohli declared two years ago that a batsman can show aggression even while defending. While that was a great statement of intent from the rightful successor to India’s golden generation of batsmen, it also showed the sheer confidence in his abilities.
As Kohli produces one classy innings after another, the comparisons have been with his idol, Sachin Tendulkar. While a series of batting records, 100 international centuries, a Test innings of utmost restraint when out of form (241* – Sydney, 2003-4) all embellished Tendulkar’s career, Kohli’s current consistency surpasses even his mentor at his peak.
Kohli, 27, averages a century every four Tests. He has raced to 25 centuries in 171 ODIs, a record even Tendulkar didn’t have at that age. On Wednesday night, he became the first to reach 4000 runs in IPL. This year, he has 11 scores of 75 or more in T20s. Besides brilliant offside shots, he is blessed with wrists to flick the ball anywhere on the leg-side. SUPERB FITNESS And Kohli scores over most of his peers in fitness. It’s not just the angles on his chiselled face and his tattooed arms that are being discussed here. Kohli’s phenomenal stamina is a result of a regime of ‘eat, sleep and train’. He doesn’t over train at the nets. A hare between the wickets and on the field, his fitness also shows the way he has played one big innings after another.
Kohli’s over-the-top celebration in victory and visible dejection in defeat shows his intensity. Wednesday was a perfect example of his hunger to win as he scored a brilliant century braving injury.
Torn webbing on his left hand in the previous game had required seven stitches. And although he is a bottom-handed player and advance in medical technology should have helped lessen the pain, it would not have reduced the discomfort. Kohli explained: “I didn’t hit any balls because I was injured (in the nets), but when I settled down, I thought I shouldn’t think about my stitches. When I got the flow going, the pain went away and I was able to play shots.”
Some of India’s past greats, Tendulkar in particular, have played through pain. Kapil Dev’s match-winning spell in the Melbourne Test of 1980, Anil Kumble bowling despite a broken jaw in the 2002 Antigua Test and claiming Brian Lara’s wicket before flying home for treatment are all part of Indian cricketing lore. Kohli will be mentioned with them.
He has left opponents and experts amazed at how he manages to continue scoring heavily. To him, there is no switching off. “T20 is just three hours a day. You still have 21 hours away, why relax on the field?” he asked.
He concedes that he has surprised himself. But as long as he stays fit and hungry to win, it will be hard to stop Kohli.