Every great Cricketer has an unforgettable peak in his career that we as a Cricket fan remember it for years, Sachin Tendulkar had 2 or 3 such kind of peak during his 24-year illustrious career so had Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Sir Viv Richards to name a few. We still remember and in awe of Tendulkar’s masterclass during the whole year of 1998, similarly with Brian Lara’s 1999 season, Sangakkara’s 2014 season etc… But when we start to think about Kohli’s peak in this year (2016) all the other great players peak (not to disrespect them) seems a tad flat because Kohli’s numbers are just outrageous and unbelievable to even think of, right from the start of 2016 season he is in his zone where hardly any batsmen have ever reached perhaps barring Sir Don Bradman. His achievements and feats become even more remarkable if one consider the fact that he is doing it all in a format which dictates inconsistency. VIRAT KOHLI’S numbers in T20 Cricket in the year 2016 :- 25 Innings, 1490 Runs, Average 99.33, Strike rate 148.11, 4 Hundreds, 12 Fifties. But these numbers alone don’t do justify to what actually he has done this year on numerous occasion. Under trying conditions and circumstances of Bangladesh in Asia Cup, under immense pressure of ICC WT20 at home and now he is continuing it in a demanding hectic schedule of Indian Premier League.
Now, the reasons why Cricket fans all around the globe will never forget this Bradman-esque season of Virat Kohli :-
(1) THE LOFTED EXTRA COVER DRIVE AND THE WRISTY FLICK THROUGH MID-WICKET
These two strokes have become the trade-mark Virat Kohli strokes over the year’s but in this year (2016) he seems to have playing these two shots at will and as if he has the copyright on both the stroke, the lofted extra cover drive is nothing less than a visual treat and most of the time this particular stroke earns him a 6 such is his fast hands and timing. The wristy flick executed by Virat is right up there with Laxman’s or Azhar’s flick (both Laxman and Azhar were the master of this particular stroke), but as Ian Chappell said during the ICC WT20 that Laxman and Azhar used to do it with grace and elegance Kohli does it with the combination of elegance and brute power which makes him even more hard to bowl to.
(2) THE ACCELERATION IN THE LATER PART OF THE INNING
Virat usually starts his inning in a fashion of an accumulator who relies on singles and doubles and an odd boundary or two. But after reaching the half-ton he cuts loose in a fashion that he almost dictate terms out in the middle and his strike-rate becomes twice more than what it was before reaching the half-ton. His innings are a perfect example of how to construct a great T20 inning, it comprises of everything, from hard running between the wickets to placement to finesse to brute power.
(3) INSANE TEMPERAMENT TO STAY THERE TILL THE END AND FINISH THE JOB
What we used to hear that only a late middle order batsmen can be termed as finishers because they usually come in at 5, 6 7 and finish the job but it seems this thinking of cricket pundits and fans have offended Virat Kohli big time as he proved everyone again and again that a top order batsmen if he has the will-power, determination and mental toughness can stay there till the end and finish the job all by himself, but then that’s why everyone is not a Virat Kohli.
We are into the 5th month of the year 2016 still 7 more months left in the year and the way Virat is blossoming with each passing day it will be fascinating to see his journey throughout the year and many more years to come.