Chasing machine of Indian cricket: Virat Kohli

Zee Media Bureau/Shashank Verma New Delhi: Again a mammoth score of 350 runs and again an easy chase was seen at Nagpur stadium on Wednesday by Indian team. In the 6th ODI, a miraculous piece of cricket was played among the two top ranked ODI teams -- India and Australia. With another successful chase, India sealed the match by six wickets with three balls to spare. With a solid opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, India easily scored 178 runs without any loss. Sudden nerves got around the stadium after the fall of Sharma’s wicket in the 30th over. Then walked in, the storm that blew away the balls all over the park -- Virat Kohli. He made his presence felt by scoring 115 runs in 66 balls (not out). Kohli snatched the match from the Aussies by his whirlwind knock. Attacking and gutsy batting qualities is what describes Kohli. After the fall of Dhawan’s wicket (scoring 100 from 102 balls), Kohli never let Oz breathe easy. Fall of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh’s wickets in quick succession felt like the Aussies were getting back in the game. But with the Indian skipper MS Dhoni, Kohli keep on smashing the ball out of the boundaries. Be it the Mitchell Johnson or James Faulkner, Kohli boldly stood in front of the wicket and kept on chasing the mammoth score. Kohli scored his 17th ODI centaury in just 61 balls, challenging his own record of 100 by 52. With a strike rate of 174.24, Kohli scored 115 in 66 balls hitting one six and 18 fours boundary in the match. Though the captain George Bailey along with his teammates was successful in putting the mammoth score on board but Dhoni lead Indian jewels made it a smooth one to chase. The Australian bowling side though is considered to be a strong one but Indian batsman every time proves there credentials the foremost one. Being a splendid batsman from the starting of his career, experts do compare Kohli’s batsman ship to that of the Master Blaster. Kohli with his determined batting style and sumptuous fielding always makes his presence felt. If Kohli continues playing with the same spirit, attitude and most importantly consistency, then he is capable of touching the heights Sachin Tendulkar has achieved in his illustrious career.