Kohli is a genius: Miandad
Former Pakistan captain and maverick batsman of the 80s Javed Miandad has hailed India skipper Virat Kohli as a "genius who is the best batsman in the world". On Wednesday, Kohli scored his 34th ODI century - an unbeaten 160 - to set up India's 124-run win over South Africa in Cape Town, which has left the No 1 ranked ODI team up 3-0 in the six-match series.
In an interview to Pakpassion.net, Miandad singled out Kohli's technical prowess and ability to rescue India from difficult situations and steer them to victories as the hallmark of a "great" batsman - traits which saw Miandad earn cult status in world cricket during his playing days (16,213 runs in 357 international games).
"In Virat Kohli's case his batting method is what allows him to score runs not just once but almost every time he comes in to bat. If a batsman's technique is bad, he can put some runs on the board once in a while, but he will not be able to do that consistently which is exactly true in Kohli's case. To me the mark of a great batsman, like Kohli is the fact that he can vary his technique by quickly understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the bowlers. Kohli is a genius who is the best batsman in the world," said Miandad, who scored 7381 runs at an average of 41.70 in 233 ODIs.
Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Indian captain said that intensity is the hallmark of his batting and he has no idea what he would do if that was gone.
"Look I am going to be 30 this year...I want to play this kind of cricket even when I am 34-35. That's why I train so much because I am a guy who likes to play with intensity. Once that is gone, I don't know what I am going to do on the field," said an obsessively physical fitness focused Kohli .
"I try to protect that. I try to train as much as I can. Keep a check on my diet. Those things pay off on days like these. When the team needs it, and you stand up, and you are able to pull through. As an athlete you crave for days like these," he added after his side's massive win against South Africa on Wednesday.
Kohli said Wednesday's hundred was special in the sense that he had to continuously change his game through the innings. He said these were hard earned runs on a tough wicket against a good bowling attack.