The 2023 World Cup has been an exhilarating journey for cricket enthusiasts, especially Indian fans. Team India is enjoying a stellar run, having won all of their five matches in the tournament. A significant contributor to India’s success has been their star batter, Virat Kohli.
From the very beginning, it was evident that Virat Kohli was going to play a pivotal role in India’s batting lineup. He showcased his brilliance in the opening match of the tournament, rescuing India from a challenging 2/3 situation in their pursuit of a 200-run target against an opponent. Kohli’s exceptional innings of 85 not out set the tone for what would be a remarkable campaign.
Kohli’s consistency in the 2023 World Cup has been nothing short of extraordinary. He has been a run machine, with a century and three fifties to his name so far. His ability to maintain high standards of performance match after the match has made him the second-highest run-scorer in the competition.
Even great players have their off days, and Kohli faced one such rare occurrence against arch-rivals Pakistan, scoring just 12 runs. However, it was a momentary blip in an otherwise impeccable journey.
Kohli’s standout performance came with his 48th ODI century, a magnificent unbeaten 103 against Bangladesh. He came close to equalling Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 ODI centuries but was dismissed when India needed just five runs to win. Regardless, Kohli’s sublime form remains a cause for concern for rival teams.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan praised Kohli’s outstanding start to the World Cup. Drawing parallels with Lionel Messi’s performances in the FIFA World Cup, Vaughan emphasized that great players reserve their best for marquee tournaments. He predicted that Kohli might achieve his 49th century before the final and his 50th in the final itself.
“Virat Kohli in the chase, there’s no one better. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets a 49th before the final, and his 50th in the final. It’s written in the stars. I actually put it on social media – great, great players always arrive in World Cups. It defines their legacies. Look at the footballers, Lionel Messi had to win the World Cup for Argentina, and he did it. Virat has already won a World Cup but you just feel he’s going to drive the Indian team all the way,” Vaughan said on Club Prairie Fire podcast.
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“I’d love to know how they (India) can be stopped. I can’t see at the minute. Yes, you can get early wickets. But the pitches aren’t going to do much. How are you going to get them 3-4 down quickly? Aussies were the closest to surprise them when they got 3 out early in Chennai, but I don’t see how anyone will get close to them,” said Vaughan.
Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist also lauded Kohli’s performance and suggested that the India star hasn’t even hit full throttle yet. Kohli’s contributions have propelled India to the top of the points table, making them the team to beat in the tournament.
“Just like a well-oiled machine, isn’t he, Virat. He is not even hit full throttle yet, either. He’s just coasting,” Gilchrist stated.
After their remarkable win against New Zealand, India is on a week-long break before their next match against England in Lucknow. The defending champions have struggled in the tournament, sitting in the ninth position in the points table with just one win in four matches.
