VIRAT KOHLI
Virat Kohli, not just a name, but a brand that is echoed in the hearts of billions. Since day one, there has been no doubt that Kohli would be the perfect successor to MS Dhoni after 'captain cool' announced his retirement on January 4, 2017. The list of accolades in Kohli's shelf is innumerable and will be adding many more in time to come. Kohli has led India across all formats and has done justice to the role of the skipper. '2017' has surely been the year of Kohli as his achievements as captain has surpassed many records.
The perfect aggression which is required on the field, the dependable one to chase a target, the consistent batsman at call, all the traits that a skipper deems is instilled in the captaincy of Virat Kohli. The skipper became an overnight sensation after he led India to victory in the U-19 World Cup in Malaysia. From there on, there has been no looking back for the Delhite.
Kohli exceeded AB de Villiers to become the fastest batsman to score 9000 runs in One-Day Internationals, topping the ODI rankings with his consistent performances, surpassing Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni's win record as captain, it's sure easier said than done, but the effort and sweat is surely sweet at the end of the day.
The year 2017 has seen Kohli mature as a captain, a batsman, a fielder and most importantly, a team player. Kohli may not achieve many 'Man of the Match or Series' awards, but to help his players achieve excellence is the top priority what billions have noticed with Kohli as captain.
Kohli has been on a smashing spree this year, hitting 1460 runs in 26 ODI matches, 449 runs in 7 Test matches and 221 runs in 8 T20I matches. The right-handed batsman has hit 32 centuries, surpassing Ricky Pointing and second in line to dethrone Sachin Tendulkar of his 49 centuries. Needless to say, Kohli has scripted his name in the cricket history books.
A flamboyant yet humble captain has always placed his team before himself and time and time again we have witnessed the growth of Virat Kohli. The Delhiite has seen legends come and go, witnesses budding talents but still works along for the betterment of the team. With MS Dhoni by his side, the captain has learnt how to make decisions in a calm and composed manner. Kohli has placed his faith in the team and provides enough independence to the players to go about their game as they see fit.
Kohli led India to the finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, but faced defeat at the hands of their arch-rivals Pakistan. Surely not an occasion to remember, but as a new captain to lead the team to the finals is a huge feat in itself. Kohli immediately led India to victory in their overseas tour against West Indies, whitewashed Sri Lanka 9-0 in all formats, defeated Australia and now recently clinched the ODI series against New Zealand.
The name is more than enough to soothe down the minds to know that Virat Kohli is there to take care of things.
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