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West Indies batting legend Viv Richards hailed Indian batting icon Virat Kohli, who plays his 300th ODI against New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, saying that the 36-year-old reminds him of himself and his energy and fitness are standout features of his game.
Virat became the seventh player from India to play 300 ODIs during India's final league stage match against the Kiwis in the ICC Champions Trophy. His 300th ODI ended with an unremarkable outing with the bat, as he could score just 11 runs off 14 deliveries, In 300 ODIs, Virat has scored 14,096 runs at an average of 58.00, with 51 centuries and 73 fifties. His best score is 183. He is the third-highest run-getter in ODIs, next to Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs in 404 matches with 25 centuries) and Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs in 463 matches with 49 centuries). He also has the most centuries in ODIs. Speaking in a media interaction facilitated by the International Masters League (IML), Viv, who is also the Governing Council member of the competition, said, "Presently, Virat Kohli (who he admires). He reminds me of myself. He believes in himself and is 120 per cent confident at all times. Whenever one needs to be aggressive, when there are confrontations. The way he defends his players and the people he is representing, I really appreciate that." Speaking on whether he likes to compare players of different eras, particularly Sachin Tendulkar with Virat, Viv said that he does not really believe in it. "I will never make comparisons. They all did their time and their work for the time that they represented their countries. And we should appreciate it," he added. The Carriban legend further said that Virat's century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy after over an year of battling inconsistent form is a "true testament of his character". "And this is why I put him in the category of being great and legendary. Because when you are in, it is not all the time that you get players who, when they are down, who can come back. But just the fighting spirit, the energy, the passion to do well. That is why I put him up there with the very best. Because he is able to go through bad times," he added. Speaking on Virat's standout feature, Viv said, "His energy. I think it is very important. That is his passion. These are the things I cherish. When you have a team and you defend them, I think we all like that particular quality. His energy, the fact that he is the captain, at the boundary and still appealing and shouting, it shows his involvement in the game all the time. There is no moment on the field that Virat does not miss." On if Virat will play the 2027 World Cup, Viv said, "Just the way he is and how fit he is and the way he still believes, very passionate about the game. You never know. He could still play when he is 50. You never know. You never know. But it is just magnificent to see." (ANI)
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