Why Indian maestro Virat Kohli's legacy will be indispensable
What's the story
Virat Kohli's latest century, his 55th in ODIs, against the West Indies, was yet another reminder of why he is indispensable. The Indian batting maestro continues to show his masterclass in the only format he is active in. At 37, Kohli is not merely rewriting records, but he is adapting to the demands and maintaining extraordinary physical standards.
Records
In a league of his own
Kohli's unbeaten 139 propelled him past 15,000 runs, the fastest and the second batter to this mark. He also scored his record-extending 55th ODI ton.
Kohli also became the first batter to cross 7,000 ODI runs at home, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar.
Most batters dream of scoring 20 ODI tons, and Kohli has 25 in only successful run-chases.
Beat that!
Evolution
Willing to evolve and reinvent
From opening in T20Is to anchoring ODI chases, Kohli has played different roles throughout his career. His ability to acclimatize, recover, and evolve has been second to none.
Kohli, known for his anchoring role, has struck at 116.74 in ODIs this year, according to Cricinfo.
"I'm very willing to take risks now because I know that if I make runs there, we'll get 350-360 easily," he recently said in an interview.
Fitness
Raising the fitness bar
Beyond all his mind-boggling numbers lies Kohli's longevity. This can largely be attributed to his commitment to fitness.
While leading the side across formats, Kohli raised the fitness bar, making physical preparation pivotal for every player.
At 37, Kohli continues to reap the rewards of that transformation. So does Indian cricket!