Retired New Zealand great Brendon McCullum was all praise for the Indian captain saying that his contribution to Indian cricket has changed the face of cricket in India. McCullum feels that the Indian skipper is setting a benchmark in the manner he is achieving and breaking records. According to McCullum his fitness and professionalism is an example for other sportsmen in the country to follow.
The Kiwi was quoted saying, “If you’re looking for one name on a scoresheet anywhere in the world to play in all sorts of conditions, gee it’d be pretty hard to go past Virat Kohli I’d say,”
He’s a freak. You look at his impact on one-day cricket, Test cricket, T20 cricket – all around the world, different conditions. “And it’s just effortless as well. He’s also changed the game a little bit with his impact on Indian cricket already … (through) his levels of fitness.”
“If we look at Indian cricket over a period of time, they’ve always been immensely talented, but just with the high intensity he operates at on a consistent basis, he’s taken that to a new level through his professionalism and his fitness.”
“And I think you’ve seen a whole raft of cricketers since he’s come on as captain as well really take that in their stride, and the IPL has been a catalyst for that as well.”
In the fourth Test match against England at the Wankhede, Kohli smashed 3rd double hundred in a year and matched McCullum’s record of three double centuries in a calendar year which he shared with Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting.
“That’s why you do those fitness regimes, those sprints, and all the other tests that you go through. It all helps. I like to train for when I’m tired – I should be able to run as fast as when I’m on zero and I think that training paid off today.” said McCullum.
Brendon also feels that in spite of Kohli being no stranger to on-field confrontations he never crosses the line as India has found the right balance between fierce competitiveness and outright insolence.
“He’s an out-and-out superstar and he plays the game in the right way – he plays it hard on the field but he never really crosses the line I don’t think unless challenged in a different way. But he’s an absolute superstar and I think the game is lucky to have him.”