NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu is certain that “once-in-a-generation” player Virat Kohli will play for another two to three years because of his unrelenting tenacity over the last six months, which was highlighted by his undefeated century against Pakistan.
With a spectacular comeback to form, Kohli hammered his 51st ODI century to help India defeat archrivals Pakistan by six wickets, thereby guaranteeing their spot in the Champions Trophy semifinals.
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“Character is not made in a crisis, it is exhibited. This is a man with pedigree, with passion. And after this 100, I can say it with conviction that this man is playing for the next 2 or 3 years and he is getting another 10 or 15 hundreds,” Sidhu said on JioHotstar.
“That, you take it from me. Because, you see, the ultimate litmus test for anyone is how he goes through the adverse times, how he embraces adversity.”
Since 2020, Kohli’s Test scores have drastically deteriorated, and after consecutive series losses to Australia and New Zealand, his spot in the red-ball team was questioned.
“Last six months, there has been so much going on that he chose his moment. When he scored runs against Pakistan, people are not going to forget it for 10 years.
“If you look at the initial part of his innings, if you look at these drives, you know that this is the Virat Kohli of old. And to me, it’s the character that he exhibited when the chips were down.
“These are the people who’ve inspired the kid in the street. For the game to grow, you need role models, who are above everything. Virat Kohli is a once-in-a-generation cricketer, a ‘Kohinoor’.”
Kohli became the fastest batter to amass 14,000 ODI runs during his undefeated knock.
“Look, when you assess Virat Kohli, what is his trademark? It’s the cover drive. And when he gets his head on top of the ball and he’s cover driving beautifully, you know he’s back.
“You must understand the value that he brings to international cricket- 99 innings, and an average of 89.6 in successful chases means that he handles pressure without allowing it to affect him.
“And the tougher it gets, the more he thrives in that situation. That’s the hallmark of a great cricketer.”
When India needed just two runs to win and Kohli was stuck at 96, the camera showed captain Rohit Sharma, who sarcastically motioned for his partner to seal the game with a six.
“What I saw today was Rohit Sharma’s beaming face. When Virat Kohli scores that 100, you look at that face. No one can whistle a symphony, it takes an orchestra to play it. It’s a team game and when the team takes pride in a fellow countryman’s performance, that is a very good sign.”
