Virat Kohli Showing he is a Big Match Player

By: Sandipan Bose

This is a good time to be Virat Kohli. After his Sunday night blockbuster in Mohali, he is the toast of the nation. Since then, his visage is omnipresent.

There is no escaping Kohli — from the magazine kiosks on the street side to the TV screen in your living room … you can run but you can’t hide!

You could love him, you could hate him but Kohli is one man you can’t ignore. From glorifying his tweets on prime-time telly to comparisons to Tendulkar, he is the fundoo cricketer who can do no wrong.

As satisfying as a big knock in a big match against a big team can be, Virat isn’t the kind to rest on his laurels. Those close to him and in the know of things profess he is isn’t done yet and is all coiled-up to win the World T20 2016 for India.

In fact, he can’t wait to get to the crease and continue from where he left off in Mohali. It’s his dream and he has decided not to settle for anything less.

Not to forget, India went through a similar stage early last year which saw Dhoni and his men winning all their group stage matches (by beating top teams like Pakistan and South Africa) before losing the 2015 World Cup semifinal match to the hosts, Australia, by 95 runs.

While chasing 329 to win, Kohli had a great platform to stage a fight-back when he came to the crease on a score of 76, at the loss of one wicket.

He played 13 deliveries to make a solitary run before scooping one in the air off Mitchell Johnson’s short-pitch ball to get out. Thereafter, India lost the momentum and the only saving grace of the match was captain MS Dhoni’s batting.

A year later, fortunes have turned. The Aussies have been nudged out of the championship and hosts, India, look very promising as a side to go all the way.

It’s easier said than done. The good thing is that this Indian team is controlled by the best captain in the world and that is Dhoni. His cool demeanour is so infectious that even Kohli can’t escape it.

“Dhoni helped me to stay calm” is what he said after winning the match. From his choice of words it’s quite apparent that Kohli doesn’t want anyone else other than Dhoni, who is the undisputed king of finishing games, to be around with him all the time. It’s his natural partnership with Dhoni that makes Kohli such a potent force!