AB de Villiers feels that Virat Kohli has learned to accept the realities and he has great ability to learn from his mistakes and come back harder. (Source: Reuters)
Ahead of India’s Champions Trophy final against arch-rivals Pakistan, Virat Kohli will be the man to watch out for, as he faces a huge test of attitude, character and patience when he comes out for his first final in an ICC tournament as captain on Sunday. South Africa’s one-day captain and Kohli’s teammate from Royal Challengers Bangalore, AB de Villiers has expressed his thoughts on Kohli’s captaincy in his column for BBC.
He feels that there are a few people who would love to be standing in Virat Kohli’s shoes this weekend, leading their national team into the final of Champions Trophy, and there is no doubt the captain of India will be relishing the prospect of Sunday’s final against Pakistan at The Oval.
De Villiers in his column also praised his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate for his hard work which he has shown from such a young age, “I have been privileged to play alongside him in the last six Indian Premier League tournaments and, as his team-mate at Royal Challengers Bangalore, have seen at first hand not only his extraordinary skill as a batsman but also the energy and intensity that he brings to the game. He is a consummate surgeon at the crease, intensely focussed, working hard, playing the ball into gaps in the field and staying calm under pressure. He is always judging the right time to consolidate and the right time to seize a game by the scruff of the neck.”
De Villiers wrote in his column that Pakistan bowlers will realise the paramount importance of controlling Virat on Sunday as he has shown his best form in this tournament,”He has found his best form in this tournament, scoring an unbeaten 81 in India’s opening win over Pakistan, adding an unbeaten 76 in the do-or-die victory over South Africa, and compiling a clinical and commanding 96 not out in the semi-final victory over Bangladesh.”
De Villiers also mentioned about Virat’s determination to succeed and his hardcore training sessions,”He is determined and relentless in training, remaining in the nets as long as necessary to ensure he feels comfortable with every aspect of his game. I have watched him rehearse his strokes over and over again until sweat is pouring from his brow, never stopping until he is satisfied.”
De Villiers feels that Virat has learned to accept the realities and he has great ability to learn from his mistakes and come back harder, “Virat has learned to live with these realities… and also to accept the burden of unrealistic expectation that he should score runs every time he reaches the crease, and that his team should win every time they take the field. When things don’t go well – and, unfortunately, for Virat as for anyone else, things don’t always go well – he falls back on his intense commitment and works ever harder until he turns the corner and meets the excessively high expectations.” De Villiers wrote in his column for BBC.
