Kohli's batting reminds me of Viv Richards: Ravi Shastri

"Some of his (Kohli) batting reminded me of Viv -- like the way the great man dominated all formats of the game he played. He is an in your face kind of batsman," Shastri was quoted as saying by the PTI.

The great man himself had similarly praised Kohli in the past. "I love watching Virat Kohli bat. He looks to me like an individual of my own heart. I love his aggression, and [he has] serious passion that I used to have. He reminds me of myself,” Vivian Richards said back in 2013.

Shastri also claimed that India's top three of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli is the "best top three in the world". He said, "Shikhar has a license to be destructive at the top, that's the role he has, and once his chances came off, there was no stopping him. Rohit is all class: brilliant, explosive and his nonchalance is frightening. Virat just tears attacks to shreds, carves them to pieces. He wields his willow like a fencer does to his sword".

Kohli had earlier credited Shastri for helping him regain his form, after his disappointing tour to England in 2014. However, the 53-year-old has downplayed his role in it. "Those were really minor issues. The important thing is he was ready to give it a try," he said.

Shastri also defended Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose captaincy had drawn a lot of criticism in Australia. He said, "Just one word to them, and I repeat myself: don't mess around with legends. Ask them to look for a word in dictionary: Respect. His contribution is second to none in Indian cricket”.

The former Indian cricketer also praised Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, for their performances in the final t20 win over Australia. He said, "Raina is flamboyant and a match-winner. But I am really pleased for Yuvi. Those two hits would do wonders to his confidence. He is also more than useful as a bowler and adds variety to the attack".