Former Indian captain Anil Kumble is marvelled at Virat Kohli’s manic consistency and believes that his on-field aggression always adds to required intensity in any T20 team that he plays for.
Kumble marked it as the biggest legacy of Kohli, who is the only player in history of IPL to play 16 seasons for one franchise -- Royal Challengers Bangalore.
“I would say consistency. I saw him in RCB when I was a part of RCB, that’s where he started his T20 career, after being a U-19 World Cup winner. From there, the transformation in his fitness, the way he wanted to play his cricket, and the performances he put in white-ball cricket,” Kumble told Jio Cinema.
“In Test cricket, we know his greatness. In T20s for India, his consistency over a period of time has been immense. The kind of aggression and attitude he brings on to the field help the team gain intensity,” said Kumble.
The World Cup winning England captain Eoin Morgan rated Kohli as one of the finest cricketers of the modern era.
“I highly regard him as one of the greatest of the modern era, across all three formats. When you have a player of that calibre in your side, it’s crucial that you’re constantly asking him to get the best out of himself.
“It brings a huge ceiling, as we’ve seen in the past. The level of inspiration and intensity that he brings lifts everybody within the group.”
Mike Hesson, who has shared dressing room space with Kohli during his tenure as RCB coach, offered a slightly different view of a calmer Kohli outside the playing field.
“You talked about the side on the field, but he’s very calm off the field. When youngsters come into the team or overseas players, he’d spend time getting to know them.
“This was after he was a captain (of RCB) as well. It’s not a captain thing. It’s a genuine want to share and communicate about things other than cricket,” said Hesson.
For Robin Uthappa, the combative instincts of Kohli makes playing against him a tough and an even more “annoying” experience.
Uthappa has played alongside Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore, and he has also been in opposition while playing for various other IPL teams such as Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
“Playing against Virat isn’t daunting as much as it is annoying. As an opposition, he could be grating, in your face. You’d always feel like there’s a battle happening with a bowler,” Uthappa said.
But Uthappa said the ambit of that battle is not just restricted to Kohli the batsman.
“There’s an extra battle happening with an extra-cover fielder because he’s coming at you all the time. He’s throwing the ball and it’s whizzing past your head. You feel that pressure all the time,” he added.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will start their IPL 2024 campaign on March 25 with an away match against title holders Chennai Super Kings.
