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Cricket Players'He's a modern-day Viv Richards': Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja's huge praise for India's Virat Kohli
After watching his leadership and batting performance in the ongoing T20I series against England, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja said India skipper Virat Kohli is 'modern-day Viv Richards.'
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja heaped praise on India skipper Virat Kohli and termed him as the ‘modern-day Viv Richards’. Raja made the comments while describing how debutants like Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav are lucky to have someone like Virat Kohli at the non-striker’s end while starting their international careers.
“He (Ishan Kishan) was lucky to have a partnership with Kohli because he is a modern day great and in my view he is a modern day Viv Richards. It would have given Ishan Kishan confidence and we can expect a lot from him in the future,” Raja said on his YouTube channel.
Ishan Kishan, who had slammed a 56 on his T20I debut against England, was batting with captain Virat Kohli in the 2nd T20I. The India captain had himself scored a fluent 73 to lead India to victory.
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“Ishan Kishan has great potential and talent. Ishan does terrific power-hitting, he is short-heighted but times the ball sweetly, plays on both offside and leg-side and hits sixes. On the day he is a game changer and made a brilliant half- century on debut,” said Raja.
“He played with freedom and he has come in a great environment where the captain at the non-striker’s end claps on his every shot. He has been given the license that we are changing the direction of our batting and you go and hit sixes and fours. If you get out in the process, no problem,” he said.
Kohli, however, was dismissed for 1 in the 4th T20I while Kishan did not feature in it due to a niggle.
The former Pakistan batsman lauded India’s decision to give chances to proven performers of IPL.
“Unless you identify the outstanding performers of IPL and give the performers a chance, you won't progress the way it should. India took the chance and it turned out to be great,” he concluded.
If Ishan Kishan was the star of the show earlier in the series, it was Suryakumar Yadav who stole the limelight in the 4th T20I which India won by 8 runs. Playing his first international match, Suryakumar struck a breathtaking 57 off 31 balls to create the perfect platform for India’s 185-run total.
Kishan and Suryakumar were rewarded for their T20I performances as both of them earned their maiden ODI call-ups for the three-match series against England.
