Virat Kohli has enjoyed unparalleled success in ODI format for India as he has 14180 runs in 300 ODIs at an average of 58.11 with 51 centuries and was part of India’s 2011 ICC World Cup and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy winning teams.
The 36-year-old isn't done yet, as he shows glimpses of his heyday in the current Champions Trophy 2025. He initially scored a century against arch-rivals Pakistan before leading another brilliant chase against Australia in the semi-finals.
In the most recent episode of The ICC Review, Shastri, who worked closely with Kohli in an extremely successful coach-captain combo, explained why he is the undisputed king of the 50-over format.
“His discipline, and his awareness of match situations (are what sets him apart). I thought he 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. 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,” Ravi Shastri told Sanjana Ganesan on the ICC Review show.
Shastri remembered an incident from India's 2018 tour of South Africa in Cape Town when Kohli was dismissed early in both innings but stayed back for an extra hour after the game to fine-tune his technique.
In the following Test in Centurion, he answered with a commanding 150. This unwavering desire to improve has been a defining characteristic of his career. Shastri also praised Kohli's energy, saying he always gives his all on the field and makes sure he stays in the game.
“You know people (like to) watch sport when they watch a sportsman with energy. Whether his name is (Cristiano) Ronaldo or it's (Lionel) Messi or whether it’s a (Novak) Djokovic or whether it's (Rafael) 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 added.
Ravi Shastri also drew comparisons between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli when it comes to making 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 recalled.
Kohli will aim to seal his legacy with a chance to win the Champions Trophy for the second time this Sunday when India faces New Zealand in the final in Dubai.
(ICC inputs)
