Virat Kohli's Charisma Compared With Lionel Messi And Cristiano Ronaldo: 'They Want To Watch This Guy'
Virat Kohli is widely considered one of the greatest ODI batters with the likes of Ricky Ponting branding him the greatest ever.
Batting superstar Virat Kohli has the same ‘charisma’ and exhibits the ‘energy’ of football royalties Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, says former India allrounder and head coach Ravi Shastri. The impact of Messi and Ronaldo on football is immeasurable. The two dominated the sport for nearly a decade, trading Ballon d’Or awards for fun while rewriting records – on and off the field. Even at the twilight of their respective playing careers, the two icons continue to create history. Similar has been the impact of tennis greats Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on their sport.
“You know people (like to) watch sport when they watch a sportsman with energy. Whether his name is Ronaldo or it’s Messi or whether it’s a Djokovic or whether it’s Nadal, that energy that they bring in – there’s a certain kind of charisma and it rubs off on other people. They want to watch this guy play," Shastri told ICC Review.
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India will play New Zealand in the title clash of the Champions Trophy on Sunday which will be the seventh final of an ICC white-ball tournament for Kohli.
Kohli has an envious record in ODIs having scored 14,180 runs at an average of 58.11. He has scored a record 51 centuries and 74 fifties.
Shastri says Kohli’s achievements have been down to his commitment to the game and readiness to make sacrifices.
“It just goes to show the amount of sacrifice an individual makes. I saw that with Tendulkar, loved his food, loves to do things that the other boys wanted to do, but said no," Shastri said.
“His discipline, his awareness of match situations (are what sets him apart)," he added.
Kohli has been in superb form in the Champions Trophy where he has orchestrated two masterful chases. He scored an unbeaten century against Pakistan in a group fixture to lead a six-wicket triumph before scoring 84 on a tricky pitch against Australia in the semifinal.
Shastri says Kohli is “back to his best" after recent struggles as he’s started taking singles, hitting the ball along the ground and going for big shots if necessary.
“I thought he (Kohli) tried to get ahead of himself in the last three or four years, where he was trying to outdo what he’s good at and sometimes, it can catch up on you. But he’s back to what he does best, which is take the singles, hit the ball along the ground, if necessary, go for the big one. Some of the greatest players who played the one-day game, especially in the chase, are guys who can do that," Shastri said.
“When you pick up singles with ease, there’s no pressure. And then when you have another guy at the other end, someone like Shreyas (Iyer) who comes and smacks it, it takes the pressure off, it becomes still easier," he added.
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