India great Sunil Gavaskar has named Virat Kohli as the most impactful player for India in ODIs in the last decade. He pointed out that Kohli has won many games for his country in 10 years.
Kohli has already crossed 12,000 ODIs runs, having made his debut for India in 2008. He is currently the best batsman across formats and has staggering numbers in all three forms of the game.
"I think if you look as an individual, then certainly it's got to be Virat Kohli, because if you look at the number of matches he's won for India when India has been chasing big scores," Gavaskar said on Star Sports' show 'Cricket Connected'.
"I look at the impact a player has had, and not just the runs or wickets that he has taken, and in that aspect, you have got to say that in this decade it really has been Virat Kohli who has had the most impact on the matches that India has won."
Former Australia World Cup-winning batsman Matthew Hayden has picked MS Dhoni, the ex-India captain as the most impactful player for India in ODIs. He counted the trophies India won under his captaincy and also his contribution as the middle-order batsman.
"I think it's really important and significant that MS Dhoni has won a World Cup and a Champions Trophy. That World Cup for me, that's a really big milestone," said Hayden.
"I have mentioned it before, we have played loads of cricket in the one-day format and I just feel that when it comes to being ready for a World Cup, you not only got to have a good leader but you also need to have a calm strong player in the middle order like he has been for India."
(Quotes Inputs from Star Sports' show 'Cricket Connected')
