Gautam Gambhir rates this Virat Kohli knock as 'best ODI innings ever'
Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli recently engaged in a candid conversation reflecting on their cricketing journeys and past rivalries.
The Indian team's head coach Gautam Gambhir and the talented batsman, Virat Kohli recently engaged in a candid conversation reflecting on their cricketing journeys and past rivalries. The two shared some of the top moments from their cricketing adventures in a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on its official website.
During their conversation, Gambhir and Kohli playfully teased each other about some cheeky moments they had on the field. However, Gambhir also expressed his admiration for Virat, particularly highlighting the latter's contributions to Test cricket.
"You built a solid fast bowling unit. I understand you were 24-25 when you took Test captaincy, the credit must go to you the way you formed the team at that time. Your attitude, winning overseas Tests," Gambhir told Virat as the latter spoke of the pressure he was under after taking over Test captaincy from MS Dhoni.
Gambhir praised Kohli, stating that his innings of 183 against Pakistan was the finest ODI performance he has ever witnessed.
"Your 183 against Pakistan in Asia Cup while chasing 300+ is the best ODI innings I've seen played by an Indian," Gambhir told Virat.
"What you (Kohli) did brilliantly was build a really strong bowling unit in Test - Test matches are won by taking 20 wickets so credit has to be given by you, that is why you are the most successful Test captain in the country & the attitude, winning overseas," Gambhir added.
Later in the video, Gambhir and Kohli discussed the mindset they were in during their outstanding performances against New Zealand and Australia, respectively.
"I remember when you had a bumper series in Australia, where you scored heaps and heaps of runs and that got you into that zone, and for me, it was exactly the same when I played in Napier," Gambhir said in the video, as per quoted by BCCI.
Gambhir pondered his remarkable innings of 137 runs off 436 deliveries against New Zealand in Napier, acknowledging that he has been unable to duplicate such a performance. He stressed that he has never been able to achieve that same level of focus and concentration since that match.
"If I look back, can I bat for another two and a half days? I don't think so. I could have ever done that again and I have never been in that zone ever in my life after that. So I can imagine how good that feeling is to be in that zone and I am sure you must have experienced this many more times as compared to what I have."