Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir lauded Indian captain Virat Kohli for his recent achievements in the cricket world. While playing the 3-match ODI series against Australia, Kohli touched two milestones.
During the second ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 29, Kohli became the fastest batsman to score 22,000 international runs. Whereas adding another feather to his cap in the third and final ODI at the Manuka Oval, Virat Kohli became the fastest to complete 12,000 ODI runs. On both occasions, Kohli broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record to become the fastest to achieve the feats.
Appreciating Indian skipper’s batting skills over the last decade which saw him become the only batsman to score 20,000 international runs in 10 years, former Indian cricketer and legend Gautam Gambhir said Kohli’s ability to finish matches is probably more important than his batting records.
“You can take anything, you can actually do whatever you want, but the best feeling in the world is when you score that last run and come back to your hotel room and you’re so satisfied that you’ve done something for your country, what you were meant to do.
“So probably, all those combinations have made him what he is, and hats off to him, he’s scored more than 20,000 runs, centuries all that,” Gambhir said exclusively on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.
Kohli played sensationally in the just-concluded ODI series against Australia. Although he failed to make much of impact in the series opener but in the second and third game, he played his role pretty well.
In the second ODI, Kohli smashed 89 runs, while in the final ODI at the Manuka Oval, he contributed 63 runs for his side. Kohli-led side avoided being white-washed by Aussies as they won the last series game by 13 runs, thanks to Hardik Pandya (92 not out), Ravindra Jadeja (66 not out) and Kohli (63).
The visitors then rode on superb bowling spells from Shardul Thakur (3 for 51), Jasprit Bumrah (2 for 43) and T Natarajan (2 for 70) to bowl the Aussies out for 289 to register a consolation win in the series which they lost 2-1.
