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NEW DELHI: Modern-day great Virat Kohli may be struggling in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, but former Australian batter and head coach Justin Langer still regards him as the best batter he has ever witnessed.
Kohli’s resilient innings ended in disappointment late on Day 2 of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday. The Indian maestro was caught behind off Scott Boland, succumbing to the tricky fourth and fifth stump line he had diligently resisted throughout his stay.
Kohli’s cautious knock of 36 off 86 balls played a pivotal role in anchoring India’s response to Australia’s formidable first-innings score of 474. His 102-run third-wicket partnership with young Yashasvi Jaiswal brought much-needed stability after the early dismissals of Rohit Sharma (3) and KL Rahul (24), keeping India in the contest.
However, the promising stand came to an unfortunate end with a mix-up between Kohli and Jaiswal, leading to the latter’s run-out for a well-compiled 82.
The setback was compounded just seven balls later when Kohli’s tentative poke at an outside-off delivery from Scott Boland resulted in his dismissal. The breakthrough was a pivotal moment for Australia, marking the third time Boland has removed Kohli in just five Test innings. In those encounters, the Indian stalwart has managed only 27 runs off 73 deliveries, underscoring Boland’s dominance in this budding rivalry.
Langer, having shared the field with legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, and Steve Waugh, has strong reasons to support his admiration for Kohli. Such is his confidence in the Indian batting maestro that the Australian great boldly stated he would stake his life and last penny on Kohli’s abilities.
“You asked me Mark why I said yesterday that Virat Kohli is the best player that I have ever seen. There were a few raised eyebrows, but he actually is. We talk about Sachin… What a player. It was one of the privileges of my life to play against Sachin Tendulkar and, of course, with Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara. If I had my last rupee or my last dollar, I would pay to watch Brian Lara bat, but if I had my life and my last dollar, and both of them together, I would have Virat Kohli batting for me,” Langer said during commentary on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test.
Langer explained why he feels so, praising Kohli’s work ethic, leadership qualities, and knack for delivering in high-stakes situations, qualities that have set him apart.
“The reason why I say that is not because of the expansive shots, his cover drives or his hook shots. But you just saw, the way he is watching the ball, his running between the wicket, his fielding, his gladiatorial style of leadership. His elite fitness level, everything that he’s brought to the table. His numbers speak for themselves. You can never argue with data. Those are why he is the best player I have ever seen. And we have seen a lot of them. But he is the one player, I think; if I had to put my money on, he would be the one,” he further said.
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