Virat Kohli has been phenomenal, says Bhaichung Bhutia

2016 has truly been the year of Virat Kohli where he struck runs at will across all three formats. Adding to this, he showcased his tactical nous as a captain by winning three consecutive Test series, without losing a game. 

Bhutia, who himself captured the imagination of fans with his skills on the football field, praised Virat Kohli’s consistency but refused to get involved in the perennial attempt to compare him with Sachin Tendulkar. 

Bhutia, in an exclusive interview with India Today, said, "Virat Kohli has been phenomenal. To score so many runs and to do it so consistently. It would be unfair to compare him with Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar has achieved so much, he has created so many milestones. Kohli has become a brand, he is in his own territory."

Speaking on what had been a good year for Indian sports, the Sikkim sniper chose the AFC Cup final qualification of Bengaluru FC and the medal-winning performances of PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik at the Rio Olympics as his top picks. However, he said the performance at the Olympics could have been better. 

He said, “One of the good years in terms of Indian sports and football. Bengaluru FC reaching the finals of the AFC Cup is a great achievement. It would have been better if they had won it but to reach the finals itself is an achievement. Olympics performance was a bit disappointing... it could have been better. But two women athletes winning the medals was a great thing. Indian cricket team reaching the top of the Test rankings was expected. It didn't come as a surprise as they were performing well.”