#IPLGOAT QF: Kohli vs Dhoni
We started with 24 players and now we are left with only just 8. Now, the competition will only get fiercer and the choice tougher. Today, we have the two biggest super stars of Indian Cricket; Virat Kohli and M.S. Dhoni. Who will progress to the Semi-Finals?
The #IPLGOATÂ is a knockout competition to determine the greatest IPL player of all time. We have done our homework and have come up with a list of 24 players. It will be a knock-out competition. Each day, you will see head to head matchups, with the winner progressing to the next round. The round of 24 will be followed by the Quarter-Finals, then the Semi-Finals, and ultimately the Grand Finale to determine the Greatest IPL player of all time. So what are you waiting for? Cast your vote and make it count.
Beware though, do not get carried away by merely the exploits of the current IPL; remember that you are selecting the Greatest IPL player of All Time! Choose wisely.
Follow us on FB and Twitter to keep track of the GOAT contest! Vote to see your favourite player crowned as the Greatest IPL Player of All Time. #IPLGOAT
We started with 24 players and now we are left with just 8. The competition will only get fiercer and the choice tougher. In today's Quarter Final match-up, we have two giants of Indian Cricket, Virat Kohli and M.S. Dhoni, facing off against each other. M.S. Dhoni is the old war-horse, who has seen it all and done it all. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, is in the prime of his career, impatient to take on the world and conquer it. In the previous round, Dhoni pulled off the impossible by defeating Sachin Tendulkar, the God of Indian Cricket, by the most slender of margins. Virat Kohli, though, steamrolled his way to the Semi-Finals. Now though, only one can progress to the Semi-Finals. Who will it be?
1. Virat Kohli
The Stats:
Matches: 134, Runs: 3814, Batting Average: 36.32, Strike Rate: 128.5
Claim to Greatness:
To say that Virat Kohli is in good form is to merely state the obvious. And this is no ordinary patch of good form either. Kohli today is in imperious touch, dictating matches and bending situations to his will. In this season alone, Kohli has scored an astonishing 752 runs in 12 matches at a jaw-dropping average of 84 along with 3 centuries. This is more runs than have been ever scored in a single season, and there are potentially another 5 matches to go. He could end up with more than a 1000 runs! Kohli is no one season wonder though. He is the 2nd highest run getter in IPL history and he has got these runs at an impressive average of 36. In a team like RCB, bursting with batting superstars, Kohli has been the batting mainstay over the years. Signed on a youth contract by RCB in the inaugural season, Kohli has grown, matured and transformed into a superstar as big as any.
2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
The Stats:
Matches:Â Matches: 141, Runs: 3206, Batting Average: 38.62, Strike Rate: 138.07
Claim to Greatness:
MS Dhoni has played 142 IPL matches. Only his ex-teammate, Suresh Raina, has played more; 143 matches. What is staggering though is that he has led in all of those 142 matches and has kept wickets in almost all of them. If an All-Time IPL XI team is made, MS Dhoni would captain it. He has defined the Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful IPL teams, and in turn, he is not just adored but has been adopted by the CSK fans. Chennai Super Kings, under MS Dhoni, have won 2 titles and have reached the playoffs in every single season, with a win percentage of above 60, an incredible achievement. MS Dhoni, though, is so much more than just a successful captain. As a batsman alone, he is an IPL legend. 3200 runs at an average of 39 and a strike rate of 138. Impressive figures, but there is more to it. With an ice-cool composure, Dhoni, over the years has engineered some sensational chases; his mere presence at the crease was enough to intimidate the bowlers. In addition to all these, he kept wickets; a true all-rounder indeed.