Kris Srikkanth, the former India batsman, says Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Murali Vijay were his top three picks when he was the chairman of the national selection panel for a significant period concluding early 2012.
While it was Dilip Vengsarkar, Srikkanth's predecessor, who famously gave the then 19-year-old Kohli his first big break for an ODI series on the 2008 tour of Sri Lanka, it is under Srikkanth a year later that Kohli was drafted back in the side.
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The right-hand batsman hasn't looked back in his career since. He is now regarded as the best batsman of the modern-day game across all formats and is also a highly successful captain for his country.
"Virat Kohli, R Ashwin and Murali Vijay are my top picks as a selector, the way they grew and were groomed, I'm really proud of," said Srikkanth on Star Sports 1 Tamil show 'Cricket Connected'.
Ashwin, who made his India debut two years after Kohli did, has been the country's best spinner of the last decade, especially in Test match cricket, where he continues to break record after another, having taken 365 wickets at an average of 25.4 in 71 Tests.
Vijay, initially considered a back-up option to the then first-choice Test opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, got regular opportunities once the experienced duo left the scene and has since made 3,982 runs in 61 Tests at an average of 38.3.
Coming back to Kohli, recently his friend and former England batsman Kevin Pietersen rated him above the legendary Sachin Tendulkar because of the number of times he has been able to take India through to wins in difficult run-chases.
"Kohli is a freakshow, his record chasing winning games for India with the amount of pressure he lives under, (Australia's Steve) Smith does not even come close to him," said Pietersen during an Instagram live with commentator and former Zimbabwe pacer Pommie Mbangwa.
"Again, Virat (above Tendulkar) because of his chasing numbers. His chasing numbers are frightening, he averages more than 80 when it comes to chasing, he consistently wins games for India, he keeps on turning the numbers, and this matters to me as to how many games you win for your country."
(Inputs from IANS)
