Virat Kohli, one of the legendary names in the cricketing fraternity, is often seen as an inspiration for his fitness, cricketing records, and most importantly, his peerless commitment. The explosive batsman has ruled the cricketing world for years without anyone coming close to matching his prowess, be it in aggression or records. But the recent reports haven’t been favorable to the cricketer, despite his blazing form and mountain of records. According to the reports, the Indian cricket management is not considering Virat Kohli fit for the T20I setup ahead of the T20I World Cup.
However, the streak of records still favors Virat Kohli over any other batsman in all formats, let alone be T20Is. Virat Kohli has rescued the Indian team multiple times from the jaws of defeat. The following five innings by Virat Kohli highlight his superiority in the cricketing world:
5. India vs Sri Lanka, 4th ODI, Eden Gardens, 2009
With the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, and Gautam Gambhir in the team, Sri Lanka didn’t seem like much of a challenge under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. Unfortunately, it turned the other way around. The Indian team lost its openers in quick succession, leaving the daunting chase of 316 runs on the shoulders of Virat Kohli. With both openers back in the pavilion with just 23 runs on the board, Kohli had a lot on his plate. But the prolific batter scored 107 runs to lead the Indian team to a memorable victory.
4. India vs Sri Lanka, 11th Match, CB Series 2012, Hobart
This series will be remembered in cricketing history as it marked the beginning of Virat Kohli’s era. Kohli took on the massive challenge posed by Lasith Malinga, who was in prime form during the series. The Indian team, having lost multiple matches, had to make amends to stay alive in the series by chasing a target of 321 runs in just overs. In this match, Virat Kohli smashed Malinga for 24 runs in an over, scoring 133 runs to take the team home.
3. India vs Australia, 2nd ODI, Jaipur, 2013
In this match, Australia smashed the Indian bowlers across the park to post a strong total of 360 runs in 50 overs, posing a significant challenge to the Indian batting lineup. India started with a bang but lost its first wicket at 176 runs. The team still needed 184 runs from 143 balls to win the match before Kohli stepped in. Virat Kohli replied with a smashing 100 off 52 balls, his fastest century in the ODI setup, to help the Indian team win the match alongside Rohit Sharma, who scored 141 off 123 balls.
2. India vs Australia, WT20, 31st Match, Mohali, 2016
The Indian team was once again put to the test on a two-paced wicket with the scoreboard reading 4/94 runs. Australia was clearly ahead in this match, especially considering the nature of the pitch, but it didn’t matter much to Virat Kohli. He scored a fifty to help India chase a total that seemed impossible had it not been for his presence at the crease. Kohli scored 32 runs off 11 deliveries on a pitch that troubled every batsman from both teams.
1. India vs Pakistan, WT20 2022, MCG
India against Pakistan is the most electrifying setup in the cricketing world, especially with the pressure of a must-win situation on both sides. Virat Kohli, once again at his peak despite his poor form and drought of runs in the previous two years, led the charge. India was chasing 159 runs posted by Pakistan at the MCG in front of 90,000 spectators. India were reduced to 31/4 before Kohli took charge of the Indian chase against the best bowling lineup in the world, consisting of Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah. Kohli steered the victory towards India by smashing the unplayable Haris Rauf for two consecutive sixes, scoring 28 runs off 8 balls. Kohli scored an unbeaten 85 runs to help India secure one of its greatest chases.
