Former Indian wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik has lavished praise on Virat Kohli after the talisman scored a stunning knock in the first ODI against the West Indies, which India won by eight wickets at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
Kohli scored an outstanding knock of 139 runs off just 88 balls with the help of 10 fours and nine sixes at a strike rate of 157.95. The talisman batted at his absolute best and was once again able to get off the blocks in a jiffy.
The veteran also became the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to complete 15000 ODI runs and he got to the milestone in 74 innings quicker than the Master Blaster. This was Kohli’s 55th ODI century and his 86th International ton.
Karthik highlighted how Kohli looked so confident and comfortable despite playing after a two-month gap.
“I think we should really enjoy it till he is around. He told us that he is going to be there until the end of the World Cup. His last batting, so to speak, in international cricket was on July 19th, and now it is September 27. Does it feel like a man who hasn’t touched a bat in 2 months? He just came out there so confident, comfortable, authoritative, and dominating right from the get-go. That has been how he has been batting for some time,” Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
“Sometimes Virat Kohli has been batting carefully because he knows that if he is around, the team is going to win. But now it almost feels like he is batting in a careful manner, but with a lot more freedom as well. It is a bit oxymoronic what I am saying, but the fact that, even though both are opposite words, he is able to find that balance beautifully,” he continued.
The RCB batting mentor noted that Kohli is looking in terrific rhythm while batting as he looks untroubled by anything.
“To get a hundred at a strike rate of 157 is quite astounding in ODI cricket. I know it was a flat pitch. We were talking about how it could be chased down in 40-42 overs, which is exactly what India did. Most importantly, Virat Kohli is feeling the rhythm. That is the most important word for somebody like Virat Kohli because of how sporadically he is playing, and if he is finding that rhythm, then there is no better player in this world,” Dinesh Karthik said.
The second ODI between India and the West Indies will be played at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Wednesday.
