"I’d pay a lot of money to watch Virat Kohli play," says Mickey Arthur

The Pakistan head coach Arthur sees Kohli as an example for his players.

Virat Kohli celebrates his 24th Test ton | AFP

Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has lauded the Indian skipper Virat Kohli and called him an 'unbelievable' cricketer looking at his growth after the Champions Trophy 2017.

Arthur, in an interview with The Telegraph India, also stated what makes the Indian stalwart different from the rest of the cricketers. "Virat’s hunger and desire to be the best sets him apart from the rest," he said. "Everything Virat does is almost fanatical... The way he lives his life, trains and plays his cricket... For Virat, it’s about becoming the best he can be. I have used Virat as an example for my players. The way he changed his lifestyle, the accent on fitness. I have enjoyed watching Virat grow as a cricketer," added Arthur.

Without any second thought, the former South African cricketer rated Virat best in the world. "Virat’s the best in the world... Purely as somebody passionate about cricket, he’s one of three batsmen I’d pay a lot of money to watch — AB de Villiers and David Warner being the other two. AB has retired completely from international cricket and Warner is currently ineligible to play for Australia... So, Virat’s the only one playing international cricket and that too all three formats... Kane Williamson, I should add, is in the same league," he said.

The Pakistan head coach has high hopes from his batsmen as well. He named Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq who can make a name for themselves.

After commenting on Virat's batting ability, Arthur was asked about 'Kohli - The captain'. Cricket pundits often rate him low as captain. The 29-year-old has failed to impress with his leadership decisions.

Arthur believes Kohli needs to be a little relaxed on the field. He is confident that Virat will work out on his attitude. "Going by some of Virat’s reactions on the field, I think he needs to tone down a bit. I’m sure Virat will work that out and (head coach) Ravi Shastri should help him channel things in the right direction... As I told you in London during the Champions Trophy, Virat has brought about a cut-throat attitude which looks good from the outside. He’s also brought real energy to the India team," he said.

Mickey also shared his opinion on Pakistan cricketers banned from Indian Premier League. He feels they will add value to the cash-rich league. 

"I’ll only say that the likes of Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Aamir, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, and Shadab Khan would bring good value to the IPL."

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 07 Oct, 2018

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