I was rooting for Pakistan yesterday and as a die hard Pakistan cricket team’s fan it was hard to digest a defeat against India . The Pakistani bowlers are renowned to be lethal but they were down and dusted yesterday even when they were defending a big total.
Yes, Virat Kohli simply out scored the most celebrated and lethal Pakistani attack with his artistry and will-power. Undoubtedly he is on his way to become the ‘Chase Artist’ of modern day limited overs cricket. No matter what the total, whatever the opposition or who the bowlers are, Kohli will chase down any total with staggering excellence. In 48 innings batting second, Virat averages 58.40 and has seven hundreds and 13 half-centuries. That is something of a record to talk about.
I loved his attitude yesterday. From the word go he was looking confident and determined to script the unthinkable. The best part of his batting was his nag to build up innings relying more on singles, couples and rotation of the strike according to merit. He wasn’t blazing all guns like his Hobart epic against Sri Lanka three weeks back, but had been composed enough with an attacking mindset.
The entire epical knock contained just one six and rest of them were sweetly timed strokes for fours, ones and twos. Keeping the scoreboard going all the time is a must while chasing down big totals and Virat Kohli had been the master of it yesterday. In fact, he had always been the master of it while chasing.
On describing Kholi’s epic 183 of yesterday Siddarth Ravindaran said, “For a 15-over spell till the start of the batting Powerplay, Kohli didn't even hit a boundary, relying more on his favourite way of building through the middle overs - the risk-free single down the ground. Even as late as the 40th over, he was coasting along at little more than a run-a-ball. Only at that stage did Kohli unleash a boundary-barrage with which Pakistan 's hopes completely evaporated. For the second time in a month, India had chased down 300-plus comfortably and they had hardly needed the services of Dhoni, the finest finisher in the game.”
Kohli asset is his ability to adapt to the conditions and situations quickly and his strong determination. This is what makes Kohli a package to loom large in the minds of the opposition within such a shorter span of time. Kohli’s celebration after reaching the hundred was an indication of his arrogance but mind you, “All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice.”
Yes, in a sense Kohli’s arrogance too aids him to conduct the daring deeds which many can’t even think of. Arrogant characters are ‘Flawed Genius’ and they are more exciting than their elder brother ‘Genius.’ I respect a genius but my genuine affection is towards a ‘Flawed Genius.’ My over flowing love only lavishes on the flawed geniuses.
It was good to see Virat expressing his arrogance through productive performances rather than awkward incidences and when an arrogant character shows his ‘Flawed Genius’ through performances, the oppositions are left with silent prayers.
Virat Kohli is an artist of modern era. But he’s arrogant and can an arrogant character be an artist? Kim Weston had given the answer saying, “As an artist you have to have a certain amount of arrogance.”
Cricket is grateful to have a hero and not a tragic one like Virat Kohli. Cricket is blessed to have the ‘Chase Artist.’ Let me and the world enjoy this guy more and more.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
No comments:
Post a Comment