Virat Kohli posted an average close to 100 in T20 cricket in 2016. While that itself is quite incredible, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
And the iceberg called Virat Kohli is right now big enough to plough through any Titanic that crosses his path.
Earlier this week, Kohli joined his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB De Villiers to fashion a 229-run partnership in the IPL against the then league-leading Gujarat Lions.
This was the game’s highest ever partnership in T20 format. Even more importantly, it was an exhilarating exhibition of sublime caresses to the boundary between seemingly impregnable field settings, interspersed with some brutal hitting of an ever increasingly disoriented attack unaccustomed to such treatment.
And this from a man, who barely two months ago, very humbly maintained that each batsman has his own strengths, and his was to play cricketing shots, without the power to hit big sixes. In this IPL, he has so far hit 33!
As an aside, even before we get to the final stage of the IPL, Kohli has scored four centuries, completed 4000 runs in the IPL, knocked off the highest number of runs for any batsman in a single IPL tournament (865 from 13 matches), with an average of 86.50 and a strike rate of 155.01.
His batting has been so sublime, it hasn’t even made the headlines that last night’s 113 scored from 50 balls against the Delhi Daredevils was despite the seven stitches keeping his left-hand webbing together. That’s not just grit and dedication, it’s sporting legend in all its glory.
Let’s look at Kohli’s longer version career so far.
Since making his ODI debut in 2008 and Test debut in 2011 (yes, this phenomenon called Kohli has only been around in Test cricket for five years, amazing as it may seem), he has scored 36 centuries in the two formats combined. Thirty-two of these have been scored in the five years since 2011 in 138 combined matches.
In the first five years of his career, as a comparison, Sachin Tendulkar scored ten centuries from 125 combined matches. Ricky Ponting in the same period in his career scored 11 tons in 124 combined matches. The possibilities, if Kohli plays on for as long as Ponting and Tendulkar, are just mind-boggling.
The remarkable thing about Kohli is that, unless a new format of the game were to be invented tomorrow, he is pretty much the best batsman in the world today, across all formats.
If anyone is still unimpressed with an average just below 100 in the IPL, surely the fact that in T20 Internationals his average went from 96.25 for 2014 to 125 for 2016 will bring a disbelieving shake of the head from such a doubting Thomas.
And, of course, unlike the brute strength and bludgeoning of a Chris Gayle or the superb power play of De Villiers, Kohli is pure poetry in motion.
Restricting a fielding team to just 11 fielders is a travesty of justice when Kohli is batting. The hapless Gujarat Lions earlier in the week and the Kings XI yesterday, will, I am certain, seriously look at a golf-like handicap if offered one.
This 25-year-old man with the aggression of a Bengal Tiger on the field, guts and dedication streaming from every pore in his skin on the playing field, the soft shy smile off it, is also a quintessential member of the generation that openly lives their life off the field on Twitter.
Kohli grew up quickly when he lost his father at the age of 18, and played a Ranji Trophy match for his team the next day before attending the funeral. But the captaincy of the Test team bestowed upon him midway through the Australian tour by a jaded MS Dhoni has acted as a nectar of the Gods and put him on a completely different plane from his fellow cricketers on the field. It has also brought, almost miraculously, a level of maturity far beyond his years.
This is a phenomenon called Virat Kohli, one the world will be talking about for many decades to come. He is being called the Donald Bradman of the shorter version. But in years to come, that epithet may not be enough.
When he comes into bat, drop everything you are doing, put your feet up, and get ready to be mesmerised by sheer poetry in flannels.
The Don would have been proud of this young man.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Well the IPL is over. Kohli had a phenomenal run but in the end his team could not lift the trophy due to a bad day at the office for Shane Watson primarily and De Villiers to an extent. Arguably, Kohli should have stayed till the end like he has done in almost every match leading up the final, but thats easier said than done in T20's. A nail biter of a tournament finally, and eyes now turn to Kohli's Indian Test Team visiting the now clearly arrogant poms in the summer, after their easy wins against an inexperienced Sri Lanka.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
The duck in the game against Gujarat Lions was Kohli's first in the last 2 years in T20's. He has never made a duck in T20 Internationals. Whoever gets to the finals of the IPL against Kohli and his RCB team, be prepared for him to come good with a vengeance!
VRcric
Guest
I think we can compare AB,Kohli with Sachin,Lara. But we always underestimate classy Amla. Form Is Temporary Class is Permanent.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
VRCric - interesting ranking. Many would perhaps not agree on some of them, but in terms of sheer talent hard to argue with an ABD and Kohli combo at the TOP.
VRcric
Guest
Category ( Talent wise ) 1.) ABDV, Kohli 2.) Amla, Rohit 3.) Root, smith, Williamson, Rahane 4.) faf, cook, warner Root & Smith are only test match performers not special talent. Virat & AB are the best batsman in the world at this time. Both are versatile & great to watch. But Kohli has much more match winning ability & mental toughness.
Nimesh Patel
Roar Rookie
Kohli's Batting is not all about slogging. He has many more 4's than 6s. His batting is more about finding the gaps as well as creating gaps with his deft foot and wrist work. Yes, in the last couple of IPL games he has hit quite a few 6's but this only proves that he is capable of adapting to the needs of the format. He is young, very fastidious about his fitness and diet, passionate about the game, a burning desire to perform all the time and requisite skills to back the desire. We are witnessing the making of a legend
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Excellent point Nimesh. Indeed the back foot play is a significant reason for his success. How he copes in England will be the acid test.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Thanks Umesh.
nimesh patel
Guest
I agree with many comments here about Kohli's test match performance. The next 12 months will give us the answers. However, he has evolved tremendously since he started playing and gets better by the day. In my opinion he is today, the best player off the back foot, in the world. Far better than Root or Smith. This allows him much more time to read the length and play for the swing. The next 12 months will determine if he will be the next legend of the game.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Ritesh - Imitation as they say is the highest compliment! ?
Ritesh Misra
Roar Guru
Cricket is played aggressively by Aussies. Kohli plays cricket like an Aussie cricketer. Of late he has channelised his aggression into action as well. Good things ahead i am sure
Umesh
Guest
Insightful! His consistent form is quite impressive.
eski
Guest
sorry going to have to disagree again you can continue to try and justify why giving a send off is ok if you are provoked but if a batsmen is "behaving badly at the crease" the time to get involved with sledging and banter while he is batting it is gutless and pathetic to continue it once he is out. I have lost count of how many times I have seen Kohli give a send off , lets look at the smith send off at the start of the year kohli said smith was having a go at the younger bowlers so he he had to "step in" in other words give him a send off what a poor excuse; Again if he had such an issue with smith why didn't he step in while he was still batting that's the time to let smith know he didn't like what was going on instead he stood back waited for a dismissal then carried on in a way that can only be described as embarrassing look for the game .
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Giving a sendoff is a bad thing for sure. I am not a fan. But giving a sendoff to a batsman who has behaved badly while at the crease is par for the course. I have seen a few instances of that. From many cricketers. He wasnt the first and he wont be the last. I have not seen him give a sendoff (at least in the past 2 years) where he wasn't provoked before by some pretty bad behaviour.
eski
Guest
there are numerous ways of being an aggressive cricketer giving a batsmen who just got out a send off isn’t being aggressive its a gutless act and does not give the impression of a humble or mature player in the slightest . It doesn’t matter who is involved considering kohli has given numerous players send offs through out his career and has continued to do so this year it is very hard for me to see that he has evolved in the slightest
eski
Guest
there are numerous ways of being an aggressive cricketer giving a batsmen who just got out a send off isn't being aggressive its a gutless act performed by an immature twat and does not give the impression of a humble or mature player in the slightest . It doesn't matter who is involved considering kohli has given numerous players send offs through out his career and has continued to do so this year it is very hard for me to see that he has evolved in the slightest
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
No arguments on your basic assertion. I don't believe however you have seen him evolve as I have Nor watched him closely in the past year or so. His actions on the field speak for themselves. He is an aggressive Cricketer and that's how he should be. Laying down and offering your other cheek is not the best solution always. And as an opponent you need to be able to give back as good as you get. I Guess there are no better examples of that than the Aussie greats.
Eski
Guest
being humble and mature isn't just based on your speech after the game but your actions on it and like Some Australian players his actions at times are very immature, unnecessary , and aggressive until he eradicates these moments from his game it is hard for me to believe he has grown any more mature and humble than he appeared a few years ago also in the next year he plays a lot of test cricket at home and as well as playing some weaker opposition if he can not greatly improve his career stats in this period of time then it would appear he will always be remembered for being an exceptional short form cricketer a lot like a Michael bevan Time will tell will both but predicting how he will go purely off IPL is pointless IMO
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
Another fantastic match winning captains innings from Kohli last night. Takes his team from 7th to 2nd spot in the last few weeks of the competition! And for those who doubt his maturity and humble approach even now, please watch the post match interview clip on iplt20.com for last night's match.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
No sportsman can have an unending purple patch. So yes he will have his ups and downs as every one before him from Lara to Tendulkar to Hayden to Richards has had. But the best have the ability to bounce back quickly from these rough patches. Kohli, I am convinced won't be an exception to this rule.