For the perfect batter that Virat Kohli has been in ODI cricket — he holds the record for the most centuries, is gunning for the record for most runs in the format, and earned the moniker of ‘chase master’ in this very format — the former India captain did not pick himself when asked to build the ‘ultimate’ ODI batter. He instead went for seven other legends, including Sachin Tendulkar.
Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the second ODI against West Indies in Guwahati, Kohli was asked to build his “ultimate ODI batter shot by shot”, and what he picked was indeed “pure class.”
For the straight drive, he showed no hesitation, and there shouldn't have been any other guess. He picked Tendulkar.
For generations, that shot has been a source of admiration for budding cricketers, while leaving oppositions in awe of his mastery. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo in 2021, former England batter Ian Bell said Tendulkar had the best straight drive in the business, and that he would want his ideal batsman to have that shot.
“Sachin Tendulkar (for straight drive), the best I saw on the field growing up. A pleasure to watch sometimes, hard to watch when you are on the field and chasing the leather,” he had said.
Throughout his career, Kohli has been praised for his cover drive, often even compared with those of his contemporaries. But instead of picking himself, Kohli went with former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, whose cover drive was both technically pure and aesthetically pleasing.
{{/usCountry}}Throughout his career, Kohli has been praised for his cover drive, often even compared with those of his contemporaries. But instead of picking himself, Kohli went with former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, whose cover drive was both technically pure and aesthetically pleasing.
{{/usCountry}}The flick is another shot straight from the Kohli arsenal, and for the more ardent followers of the sport, it is often associated with the great Mohammad Azharuddin, for whom it was a trademark shot. But Kohli reckoned India head coach Rahul Dravid's flick was better suited to his ‘ultimate’ ODI batter.
Virender Sehwag was his choice for the cut shot, and rightly so. For the former India opener, it was a trademark boundary option, although his favourite shot was the upper cut.
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Kohli did take a few seconds when asked to pick the batter for the sweep, calling it a “difficult choice”, but eventually went with former Australia batter Matthew Hayden.
And that choice shouldn't have been difficult. For an Indian cricket lover who still remembers the 2001 Test series against Australia, Hayden's sweep was impossible to forget. He swept his way to 549 runs, topping the batting charts in the three-Test series with an average of 109.8.
The left-hander had by then mastered Indian conditions. But the seeds for that tour, and perhaps that shot in particular, had been sown much earlier. In 1993, he worked with Allan Border and Bob Simpson, before further honing his game at a pre-series camp in Chennai in 1999, where he faced Indian greats Erapalli Prasanna and Bishen Singh Bedi.
For six-hitting, Kohli looked no further than his former RCB teammate Chris Gayle, who for the longest time held the record for most sixes in international cricket, 553, before Rohit Sharma broke it and soared to 665 maximums.
But for Kohli, who had one of the best views of Gayle's sixes during their RCB partnership between 2011 and 2017, those 263 sixes for the franchise remain a particularly fond memory.
However, in a surprise move, he picked AB de Villiers, his good friend and another former RCB teammate, for running between the wickets, ahead of India legend MS Dhoni.
Kohli looks ahead to 2nd ODI
The 37-year-old carved out a sensational unbeaten 139 against the West Indies on Sunday in Thiruvananthapuram as India scripted an eight-wicket win to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
It was his second century in three matches at the venue, his 55th in ODIs and 25th in a successful chase — all adding to the sense that Kohli is already locked in for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
En route, he went past 15,000 runs in the format, surpassing Tendulkar as the quicker of the two to the landmark. He also became the first batter to score 7,000 ODI runs in India.
India will play the second match against the West Indies on Wednesday in Guwahati, followed by the third and final match of the series on October 3 at the PCA New Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.