“His awareness of match situations are what sets him apart”: Ravi Shastri hails Virat Kohli

Dubai [UAE], March 9 (ANI): In the latest episode of The ICC Review, former India coach Ravi Shastri provided an in-depth analysis of Virat Kohli as an ODI batter ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Final.

Kohli’s career in ODIs has been nothing short of spectacular – 14,180 runs at an average of 58.11, with a record 51 centuries, firmly establishing his dominance in the format.

The 36-year-old isn’t done yet, showcasing flashes of his prime in the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.

He first delivered a century against arch-rivals Pakistan before orchestrating yet another masterful chase against Australia in the semi-final.

In the latest episode of The ICC Review, Shastri, who worked closely with Kohli in an extremely successful coach-captain combination, shed light on what makes him the undisputed king of the 50-over format.

“His discipline, his awareness of match situations (are what sets him apart). I thought he tried to get ahead of himself in the last three or four years, where he was trying to outdo what he’s good at and sometimes, it can catch up on you,” Shastri told host Sanjana Ganesan as quoted by ICC.

“But he’s back to what he does best, which is take the singles, hit the ball along the ground, if necessary, go for the big one. Some of the greatest players who played the one-day game, especially in the chase, are guys who can do that. When you pick up singles with ease, there’s no pressure. And then when you have another guy at the other end, someone like Shreyas (Iyer) who comes and smacks it, it takes the pressure off, it becomes still easier,” Shastri added.

A key factor behind Kohli’s dominance in ODIs has been his unwavering commitment to refining his craft.

Shastri recalled an instance from India’s 2018 tour of South Africa in Cape Town, where Kohli was dismissed early in each innings, but stayed back for an extra hour post-play to fine-tune his game.

In the next Test in Centurion, he responded with a commanding 150. This relentless hunger for improvement has been a defining trait of his career.

Shastri also commended Kohli’s energy, always giving it his all on the field and making sure he’s in the game.

“You know people (like to) watch sport when they watch a sportsman with energy. Whether his name is (Cristiano) Ronaldo or it’s (Lionel) Messi or whether it’s a (Novak) Djokovic or whether it’s (Rafael) Nadal, that energy that they bring in – there’s a certain kind of charisma and it rubs off on other people. They want to watch this guy play,” Shastri said.

There was also a comparison with another all-time great – Sachin Tendulkar – with Shastri drawing parallels between the two when it comes to making sacrifices.

“It just goes to show the amount of sacrifice an individual makes. I saw that with Tendulkar, loved his food, loves to do things that the other boys wanted to do, but said no,” Shastri recalled.

Kohli will look to further cement his legacy with a chance to become a two-time Champions Trophy winner this Sunday when India take on New Zealand in the final in Dubai.

A victory would add to his illustrious collection, which also includes the 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, the 2013 Champions Trophy and the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.