As the members of Indian cricket team walks past the fans, many of them are seen trying their best to get the autograph of their stars. Amongst them is a bright eyed young boy, looking very happy on getting the autograph of Asish Nehra. Few years down the line, he is touted as the next big thing of Team India. He is none other than Virat Prem Kohli.
Virat has turned out as one of the most promising youngsters in recent times. He has impressed with his technique, shot selection and ability of play long innings without taking many risks. He has been one of the prime reasons of India's recent success. He had an average first year at the highest level but since then he has never looked back and only improved as the time passed on. He has come a long way after successfully leading the U-19 national side to the World Cup triumph in 2008 in Malaysia before making it to the national ODI side the same year. Early on in his career, words such as brash, arrogant were stuck on him as Kohli struggled to balance his career and the obsequious flattery that came with success. But some introspection and the expert guidance from the Indian team's seniors allowed him to bounce back strongly.
Today, he looks far more matured and vastly skilled. In 85 ODIs that he has played so far, he already has 11 hundreds and 21 fifties to his name which shows how consistent he has been. He also has the record of being the one of the score 3000 runs in the lesser number of ODIs played by any batsman to achieve the feat. He has managed to make no. 3 position as his own place in the ODI team. He is even being hailed as the next Sachin Tendulkar by many after his magnificent show in Hobart and Mirpur where he led his team home chasing huge targets. While in Hobart, he scored unbeaten 133 to see the team home in just 37.4 overs with 80 balls to spare, on the other occasion, scoring the career best 183 against arch rivals Pakistan after India lost their first wicket for naught. He seem to be man with midas touch for India and when he is there, it feels that every target is chaseable.
Asked him about people thinking of him being the one to break Tendulkar's record and that him being the next Sachin, the young man says, "Sachin is great and I can't think of any batsman reaching that milestone. It will take two lifetimes for me to achieve there. I have score just 11 hundreds in ODIs and 1 in Test matches". He also said that he rates the innings he played at Mirpur better than the one he played at Hobart. According to him the innings he played at Mirpur was more "special" and it was a "special game against good opposition".
Even this year, has been special for Virat as his form of the lifetime continues. In 2012, while his senior team members struggled in the series down under, Virat stood up and scored 289 runs at an average of 48.16 in 3 matches with 1 fifty and 1 century, the lone by an Indian batsman in that series. He has scored 730 runs at an average of 73 in the 11 games that he has played in the format that suits him more. His contribution and form can be judged by the fact that in the last 4 innings that he has played, he has scored 3 centuries with his scores being 183, 66, 108, 133. He has also reaped rewards for his effort. He is placed at number 3 in ICC Rankings for ODI batsmen and also promoted to vice-captain of the team for Asia Cup. Its quite clear that he has been excellent for last 2-3 years and if he continues to dominate in such fashion, you might well see him breaking many batting records in the future.
On asking the secret behind his success, he says "I try to stay till the end, that's my only aim and its working for me." "Batting at number 3 is an important position and I value my wicket more now because if I set a good platform, I will be able to cover up and that has been my strength and I will stick to that." he added.
Virat has been brilliant and have been a perfect number 3 batsman for India in ODIs and will be the man to watch out for as he will be looking to cement his place in the longest form of the game too with India looking for someone to fill in the big boots of already retired Rahul Dravid and other legends who are soon to retire from the game and with him being in such superb touch, he might not have to wait for long to become an inseparable part of Test team as well just as ODI team can't be thought of without the new run machine of India.
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