When it comes to batting across three formats, Virat Kohli is simply a monster. The Indian captain has already aggregated 43 one-day international hundreds – only behind Sachin Tendulkar (49).
He averages a mind-boggling 59.33 in the 50-over format from 248 matches with 11,867 runs while his T20I average reads 50.80 in 82 games with 2794 runs. In Test cricket, Virat has 7240 runs to his name at an impressive average of 53.62 including 27 tons.
In an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda, Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour on Sunday (June 28) hailed Kohli’s ability to play each format according to what its demands are and also opened up on his commitment to the game.
"For me, the best thing about Virat Kohli is his commitment to the game," Rathour said. "He wants to be the best player in the world and he works hard for that. He puts in the hard yards, and he is the hardest working cricketer that I have seen. Other than that I believe his adaptability is his biggest strength."
"He is not a one dimensional player, he can change his game as and when required. He plays every format differently and that has been one of his greatest strengths," he added.
Rathour then cited the example of IPL 2016 where Kohli smashed a staggering 973 runs in the season and almost single-handedly took Royal Challengers Bangalore to the final.
“One of the best example in which I saw was in the 2016 IPL where he scored four hundreds and hit 40 odd sixes. He was going through a great patch of form and after that we had a tour to the West Indies. After playing like that for two months in the IPL, he goes to the West Indies and in the first match he scores a double hundred without hitting a single ball in the air," the batting coach said.
"So that kind of change to bring into your batting because you are playing a different format, not many cricketers can do that. With Virat Kohli, I think he can play the way he wants to play. He can play according to different situations and that I think is his biggest strength," he further remarked.
