IND vs SA: 'Virat Kohli's Legacy Will Be Bigger Than MS Dhoni' - Michael Vaughan Makes A Bold Statement

Virat Kohli, the great Indian batter turns 35 today and the name he has made for himself in his illustrious career is something that one can only dream of.

When Sachin Tendulkar was asked about the player who could break his records in the future, he named Virat Kohli and Virat has not disappointed his idol till now. With 48 ODI centuries, and 78 international centuries, Virat Kohli already has his name written in gold in the history books of cricket.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan talked about Virat Kohli’s legacy on Cricbuzz, he started with how Virat runs around the field, his energy and the way he carries himself on the ground. He stated, “He is (Virat Kohli) incredible, you look at the number he’s 35 today but I’ve seen him as a 25-year-old and the way that he runs around the field, his energy, he’s a real buzz even though he is not the captain you can see still the energy of this team, still the driving force in terms of mentality.”

He went on to say that Virat Kohli’s legacy will be greater than the likes of  MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar given the records he has broken and the contributions he has made to Indian cricket. “When he finishes and it will be in a few years I hope, I really feel that his legacy is gonna be huge because it’s not just gonna be his numbers, it’s not just gonna be his average of nearly 60 in one day cricket, plenty in test match cricket, probably breaks all the records. I think what he did for Indian cricket in terms of fitness, in the drive of fielding.”

“I think he has really driven Indian cricket forward and it probably did it more than any other player, I mean MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil back in the day, Sunil, absolute legends, and Zak they were all incredibly great cricketers but what Virat did for Indian cricket in terms of really driving the professionalism in this that you’re required to become an athlete,” Vaughan added.

Watch: Michael Vaughan Talking About Virat Kohli’s Legacy

#ViratKohli turns 35 today ?

'#Kohli's legacy could be bigger than that of #Tendulkar, #Dhoni'@MichaelVaughan & @ImZaheer discuss, on #CricbuzzLive #INDvSA #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/OhLJiEPJOP

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) November 5, 2023

Virat Kohli’s fans expect him to score his 49th ODI century on his birthday against South Africa and equal the record of his idol Sachin Tendulkar who also scored 49 ODI centuries in his career. Virat has always been a leader and Michael Vaughan also talks about the influence he might be having on youngsters like Shubman Gill.

Virat Kohli as a batter has always proved that it is not just about playing cover drives or pull shots but it is about being dynamic, running between the wickets, and rotating strikes, these are the things that make him extra special.

India have already qualified for the semi-finals and Virat Kohli has been the top scorer for India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. With the form he is in, he is most likely to break Sachin’s record in this tournament and get to his 50th ODI hundred. The whole country is waiting for the king to achieve this impeccable feat and with his past records, it is unlikely that Virat will disappoint his fans all over the globe.

As the King celebrates his 35th birthday and fans expect him to score his 49th ODI hundred, the match between India and South Africa is going to be even more interesting and Eden Gardens is already lit up for the celebrations of Virat Kohli’s impeccable career.