The Man Who Defines Modern-Day Cricket
Times have changed. India has changed. Indian cricket has changed. The way people perceive the sport has changed. With the game becoming really competitive year by year, there had to be someone who could approach the sport in an entirely different manner, who could define the new horizon of international cricket and set a benchmark for the future generations.
Then came Virat Kohli, the man of the moment, with his zeal and a unique style of playing the sport. Confident to take on the world and ambitious to be the best in his field, he gradually became the throbbing heart of this long-lived sport. This is not merely a reflection of his century in yet another World Cup victory, but an account of the impact he has created in the world of cricket, on the people and especially on the youth.

As we reflect on his prolific international career, we realize that his batting is a masterclass. He recently became the first captain to score 200 runs in a test match for the tenth time. The first batsman to score four double centuries in four consecutive test series, Virat Kohli has set a benchmark for consistency and fitness. He is the only batsman in the world to average over 50 in all the three formats. His technical supremacy has fetched him two World T20 Man of the Tournament awards and a path-breaking IPL 2016 with whopping 973 runs and four centuries. The chase-master, as the world calls him, has the maximum number of hundreds during chases in One-Day Internationals. No player has more runs in T20I chases than Virat Kohli.
The responsibility of test captaincy has bought the best out of him. Leading from the front is easier said than done. He is a leader with exceptional vision and the ability to withstand pressure on and off the field. The Indian captain became the only Test skipper in history, to score three centuries in his first three innings as captain. He has notched up six double hundreds in test cricket as captain, which holds the record for the maximum by any captain. He has made the country proud by winning numerous series, away and home, consecutively. Kohli has continued to build his auspicious start to captaincy. There are very few like him in the modern day cricket, who put the team first.
Virat Kohli doesn’t wait for opportunities, he creates them. Very few cricketers possess a conviction that he does. He manages time to perfection. His growing maturity, his consistency, and his leadership abilities are evident from the way he exhibits himself on and off the field. He wears his attitude on his sleeve. From the moment he steps down on the ground and gets into the business of making runs, Virat casts a spell on the audience. Even his opponents praise him for his game. His dedication is unmatched — he spends long hours in the nets under the scorching sun, only to improve upon a particular shot. Being a fitness freak, he is an inspiration for the youth, with his hashtag ‘Come Out and Play’.

Cricketers have come and gone, but only a handful make their way into our hearts. His ten years in international cricket have been glorious. From being the ICC cricketer of the year to receiving the prestigious Padma Shri Award, he has already made a mark in sporting history. The chants of ‘Sachin…Sachin!’ have now changed to ‘Kohli…Kohli!’. With a plethora of records to be broken in the next decade, Virat Kohli and his young team are ready to entertain the audience.
Hail King Kohli!