“He wins matches and makes an entire generation fit” – Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli’s impact on cricket

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has lauded Virat Kohli’s impact on the game. Kohli has been a big match-winner for India in the last decade and has played a key role in inspiring the young generation to focus on their fitness.

Under Virat Kohli’s captaincy, India produced a potent pace battery, which played a key role in the success of the team, especially in overseas conditions. Kohli is well known to give his best on the field and a lot of credit goes to his supreme fitness and diet.

Kohli has been a consistent performer in all three formats of the game and he had also delivered in the ODI World Cup 2023. The talisman finished the tournament as the highest run-getter with 765 runs in 11 matches at an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.32. Ergo, he was awarded Player of the tournament for his consistent performances.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “If you have to judge a player’s greatness, there are three or four parameters. One in longevity. He is 35 and it seems like he can play for four more years. Then you see his impact on the game. He wins matches and makes an entire generation fit. He has had a massive impact.”

“Another important aspect is how you adapt across three formats – he does that. Then, of course, the sheer records, the numbers. The numbers don’t lie about him – 50 ODI centuries, four double centuries in a year in Tests, nearly 1000 runs in an IPL season.”

The reputed commentator hailed Kohli’s chase-game in the white-ball formats. Kohli has an exceptional record while batting in the second innings and he has mostly got India over the line.

“The one thing that defines him is the chase game. He is the modern master and the chase master. I feel the name ‘chase master’ was coined in the match against Sri Lanka in Hobart where India needed a bonus point to qualify. How well he hit Lasith Malinga and all the other bowlers.”

Chopra recalled Kohli’s masterclass knock against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup at Melbourne.

“There were other seniors in the team as well but the way Virat Kohli played made you realize that this guy is special and different. After that, he has been unstoppable in chases. You will remember the unbeaten 82-run knock against Pakistan.”

In ODI and T20I chases, Kohli averages 65.49 and 71.85 respectively.