Virat Kohli: The Greatest To Play ODI Cricket

Virat Kohli, has been in stupendous form in the ongoing World Cup. In the side’s first four matches, he smashed 259 runs at an average of 129.50 and a strike rate of 90.24. The 34-year-old began his World Cup 2023...

- RENIN WELBIN

Team India's senior batter, Virat Kohli, has been in stupendous form in the ongoing World Cup. In the side’s first four matches, he smashed 259 runs at an average of 129.50 and a strike rate of 90.24. The 34-year-old began his World Cup 2023 campaign with a fighting knock of 85 off 116 balls against Australia in Chennai. In the company of KL Rahul (97 not out off 115) he rescued India after they slipped to 2/3 in a chase of 200. Kohli was his assured self as he scored an unbeaten 55 against Afghanistan in a thumping win. After falling cheaply in a small chase against Pakistan, he scored a typical century in a chase against Bangladesh, guiding the team home with a sublime 103 not out off 97 balls. Following his hundred against Bangladesh, Kohli now has 48 one-day tons to his name. His overall numbers in the 50-over format are extraordinary. In 285 matches (273 innings), he has amassed 13342 runs at an average of 58 and a strike rate of 93.71 with 48 hundreds and 68 fifties. The stats are sensational, without doubt. But has he done enough to be termed the greatest to play ODI cricket? We try to analyze.

THE CONTENDERS FOR GREATEST ODI PLAYERS

Undoubtedly, Kohli is one of the top contenders to be termed the greatest ODI player of all time. The other nominees include Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Sanath Jayasuriya, Rohit Sharma, AB de Villiers, and Sir Viv Richards, among others. In terms of the fear factor that he generates, Kohli comes closest to Richards. Bowlers used to dread Richards’ presence at his peak, and the same is the case with Kohli, although the Indian batter doesn’t carry that aura that only Richards could with his imitable swagger. The latter, though, isn’t a big defining factor and is more of a personality trait.