Virat Kohli: The ‘Chase Master’
India’s Road to the Champions Trophy Final
Dubai: Virat Kohli was hailed as the "chase master" on Wednesday after his latest trademark innings took India into a third successive Champions Trophy final.
A Masterclass Performance
Kohli stroked a controlled 84 to put India within sight of their victory target of 265 in the semi-final against Australia in Dubai on Tuesday. When the 36-year-old departed, India needed a manageable 40 off 44 balls and completed the win with 11 deliveries to spare. They will face South Africa or New Zealand in Sunday’s final in Dubai.
Kohli’s Unmatched Record
Kohli brought up 8,000 runs in ODI chases during the innings, which followed an unbeaten 100 that took India past a 242-run target against arch-rivals Pakistan earlier in the tournament. "He has about 30-40 centuries while chasing, has the most runs while chasing and that’s why he has got the tag of ‘chase master’," said former India opener Virender Sehwag. "This chase was peanuts for him as he smiled through it."
A Remarkable Average
"King Kohli" has now scored 8,063 runs at a remarkable average of 64.50 when India bat second in one-day internationals — behind only all-time great Sachin Tendulkar’s 8,720 at 42.33.
Kohli’s Pacing and Fitness
Kohli crafted and paced his innings to near perfection against Australia, hitting only five fours but with his renowned fitness allowing him constantly to pick up ones and twos with quick running. "At one stage, in 25 deliveries he had 23 singles and a two or something," said former England captain Nasser Hussain. "He manages to knock it around and just when the opposition captain thinks, ‘I might have to bring (a fielder) up’, he knocks it over their head and takes a boundary option."
Captain Steve Smith’s Praise
"Australia captain Steve Smith said: "He’s arguably the best chaser the game has seen. He’s done it numerous times against us. He controls the tempo of the game really well, plays to his strengths and takes the game deep."
India’s Coach’s Praise
India coach Gautam Gambhir lauded Kohli for his game awareness. "He is a phenomenal one-day cricketer," said Gambhir. "He knows how to plan his runs, he knows how to plan whether he is batting first or chasing and he knows that he adapts to the conditions really quickly."
Rohit Sharma’s Performance
Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma came into the tournament with retirement rumours swirling after a lack of runs in Tests. Both retired from T20 cricket after India won the World Cup last year. "You can’t judge players thinking that obviously they haven’t got runs in red-ball cricket," said Gambhir. "It doesn’t mean that they can’t get runs in the 50-over format. They’ve been exceptional players in this format. They’ve done it for so many years so we had no doubt that they’re going to deliver come the big tournaments."
India’s Champions Trophy History
India won the Champions Trophy in 2002 and 2013.
Conclusion
Virat Kohli’s incredible record in ODI chases has earned him the title of "chase master". His remarkable ability to pace his innings and adapt to conditions has been praised by former players and coaches alike. With India set to face South Africa or New Zealand in the final, Kohli will be looking to add to his impressive record and lead his team to another Champions Trophy title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Virat Kohli’s ODI record while chasing?
A: Kohli has scored 8,063 runs at an average of 64.50 when India bat second in one-day internationals.
Q: How many half-centuries has Virat Kohli scored in ODIs?
A: Kohli has scored 74 half-centuries in 301 ODIs since his debut in 2008.
Q: What is Virat Kohli’s ODI record against Australia?
A: Kohli has a impressive record against Australia, having scored 8,063 runs at an average of 64.50 when India bat second in one-day internationals.