ICC World Cup 2023: Virat Kohli One Of The Greatest I Have Seen - Eoin Morgan

Former England captain Eoin Morgan has heaped praise on Virat Kohli and hailed the India batting superstar as a ‘phenomenal player’ and ‘one of the best ever’. The former cricketer spoke about how dangerous Virat Kohli could be on a big stage like the World Cup.

The former India skipper will be one of the team’s main hope as the Men in Blue will be looking to reclaim the World Cup trophy this year. India have not won the trophy since MS Dhoni guided them to glory in 2011. In the last two editions of the ODI World Cup, India crashed out at the semifinal stage.

Virat Kohli is one of the most decorated batsmen of all time. Only Sachin Tendulkar has scored more centuries in international cricket than him. While the legendary Tendulkar retired with 100 tons, Virat Kohli has hit 76 centuries across formats so far. In ODIs, he has 46 centuries and no other active player has more than 30 in the 50-over format.

Eoin Morgan heaps praise on Virat Kohli

India’s fate in the World Cup will depend a lot on how Virat Kohli performs. And while only time will tell how he does with the bat in the upcoming ODI World Cup, Eoin Morgan is confident of a good show from the former India captain. Calling him ‘one of the greatest I have ever seen’, Morgan opined that Virat Kohli loves to perform on a big stage like the World Cup.

“He is a phenomenal player. One of the best ever, and one of the greatest I have seen. And the best thing about Kohli is the way he conducts himself off the field as well. He loves the big stage and if you are an opponent, you don’t want to face him on a big stage like the World Cup, for you know he will stand up and deliver for his team,” Morgan told RevSportz.

Speaking further, Morgan said that having Virat Kohli in the dressing room will make a big difference for Team India. He stated that Virat Kohli will not only bring leadership qualities to the Indian dressing room but will also help the youngsters settle down in pressure situations.

“He has this ability to make the big occasions count, and we have seen that with him many times in the past. Again, he is a leader in that group and his presence in the change room will make a big difference to Rohit Sharma. Also, there will be players who feel the nerves, and with Kohli around, there can be nothing better for them.

“He will give them the confidence they need, and is a massive player for India in the World Cup. He harnesses all of the energy and hype around big games, and uses all of it to make a difference. Very few players in my generation could do that. And he will want to win. He is that type of competitor, and has that type of focus. He will want to lift that trophy,” he said.

Before the World Cup, Virat Kohli will be seen in action in the upcoming Asia Cup. The continental championship is scheduled to start from August 30 while India will open their campaign on September 2 against Pakistan.