It was a chilly December night in 2009 when the poster boy of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli announced himself at the big stage with a match-winning century against the Lankans on the hallowed turf of Eden Gardens. If one fondly remembers, Gautam Gambhir, who too had scored a hundred in that 300-plus chase, received the Man of the Match award and handed it over to his 20-year-old state mate. That is one piece of silverware which Kohli treasures the most till date.
Virat Kohli after his first international hundred at Eden Gardens in 2009
Kohli has played quite a few matches at the mecca of Indian cricket after that memorable night, but he has not been able to leave the same impression which is associated with him. However, the stage is set, the occasion can’t get any bigger, it’s the mother of all clashes and the batting maestro is in the form of his life.
If Sunil Gavaskar had played his best cricket against the all-conquering West Indies and Sachin Tendulkar enacted the same versus the rampaging Aussies, then this Gen Y star has done an encore with Pakistan. Kohli has always made a mark against the green brigade at the biggest stages of the game, be it 50-over World Cup or World T20s. So this particular tie, which is some sort of a do-or-die encounter for the Men in Blue, provides the No. 1 ranked T20 player the perfect platform to show his class all over again.
Like all great players, the Indian Test captain loves to be the match-winner whenever his team is in dire straits. He showed that recently in the Asia cup duel against Pakistan where Mohammad Amir was bowling a dream spell. In spite of all the bromance between Kohli and Amir, this time too it will be Amir’s swing versus Kohli’s cover drive.
Virat Kohli hands over his bat to Mohammad Amir at the practice session on Friday (PTI)
The right-hander had said he loves to play the left-arm pacer as that brings out the best in him. The whole nation would be hoping that Amir hits the ground running from the word ‘go’ as that would spur up the angry young man and if Kohli gets going, all the sorrows of that embarrassing defeat to Kiwis will be drowned in the holy Ganges, just few metres away from the age old stadium.
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