Always thought burnout will be Kohli's biggest challenge but his energy never dropped, feels VVS Laxman

The Indian skipper and batting talisman Virat Kohli has reached a phase in his career that whenever he plays he is breaking some record or the other. Virat Kohli scripted history in the third ODI against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra when he crossed the 12,000-run barrier in ODI cricket, reaching the feat in his 242nd innings, 58 innings quicker than the legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli plays across formats for India and also a grueling IPL every year yet he has been able to stay fit and hungry each time he steps on to the field and is generally at his animated best.

Former Indian Test great VVS Laxman, who feared burnout of Virat Kohi given how much involved he remains on the field is happy to see that Kohli has been able to sustain the energy and passion that he carries.

“Phenomenal. I think, the way he has played in each and every series, the kind of intensity he has maintained each and every day, when he’s on the cricket field is unbelievable, because at some stage I thought that will be the biggest challenge for Virat Kohli, at some stages he will burn out, but not even once we have seen that energy drop down when Virat is on the cricket field, whether he is batting or he is fielding,” Laxman said on The Cricket Connected Show in Star Sports, reported Hindustan Times.

Kohli's biggest strength in the ODI cricket has been his ability to hunt down targets under pressure and Laxman lauded his ability to relish and chase under pressure. 

“And under pressure, because if you see his one day record how many Hundreds did he get while chasing and then you know that you’ve got a target to achieve, there’s always a scoreboard pressure on him, but he relishes pressure, he relishes responsibility and that’s what gets the best out of him,” the former batsman added.

India lost the ODI series 1-2 against Australia. From today onward, they will take on Australia in the three-match T20I series, which commences from Canberra, the same place India won their only game in the tour so far.