IND vs AUS | Virat Kohli is one of the best players, has strong views, reckons Greg Chappell

11/15/2020

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Virat Kohli is widely regarded as the greatest batsman to have played the game and former Indian coach Greg Chappell echoed the same as he called him of the best in the world and a man with strong views. Mark Taylor also asserted that Kohli is a very powerful figure in the cricket world.

416 games, 21,901 runs, an average of 56.15, 70 100s and 104 50s - there is no bigger superstar in the game of cricket at present than Virat Kohli, who is fondly called King Kohli. Now, as we are getting closer to the Australian tour, he is the talk of the town as it should be, given how good a batsman he is.

All of Australia are swooning on Virat Kohli more than ever given the stature that he has in world cricket. Kohli has a great track record in Australia, with the 32-year-old averaging over 50 in all three formats Down Under.

There is no denying the fact that he is the biggest batsman for his team, and former Aussie cricketers Greg Chappell, Mark Taylor and Darren Lehmann have expressed how big an impact they think King Kohli would have on the tour.

Former Indian coach Greg Chappell, termed Kohli as "one of the most influential players in world cricket" who wears his heart on his sleeves.

"I think he's certainly one of the best players and one of the most influential players in world cricket at the moment. He has strong views, he's quite happy to speak those views, he's quite happy to put himself out there and back himself to back up his words," Chappell said, reported TOI.

The 72-year-old also added that it's great to see how Kohli is fighting for the survival of the Test format in times of T20 cricket.

"He loves Test cricket and while he's playing India will treat Test cricket with respect because he has a big say in Indian cricket. That's a good thing. If you have a captain of India who is not interested in Test cricket that will impact the scene. Virat loves Test cricket, he champions Test cricket, and while that's happening India will play Test cricket," he stated.

Mark Taylor also feels that Kohli is a powerful guy in world cricket and he takes the immense pressure of being the best batsman, while also captaining the side very responsibly.

"I think he is a very powerful guy in world cricket, but I think he does a very good job to walk that fine line in being an aggressive cricketer and also a statesman. I think he's doing it very well," Taylor was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

"I think he treats that responsibility with great respect. He's still very much his own person when you watch him play. I've always found him in the times I've spoken to him to be very respectful to the game and those playing it and those who have played it," Taylor added.

Former Aussie coach Darren Lehmann also praised Kohli and asserted that he is never afraid of pushing the boundaries and wants to win every game he plays.

"That's just the way he plays; he plays full of energy and doesn't want to lose. He always pushes the boundaries, but that's what great players do. He wants to win every game. That was one of the more fiery ones [2017 series] going around in recent years," Lehmann said.

The tour will begin with three ODIs starting on November 27, followed by as many T20 Internationals and then four Tests.