Table of Contents
England National Cricket Team star wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler has showered praise on Virat Kohli ahead of the three-match ODI series against India in an interview with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
Jos Buttler described Virat Kohli as a global superstar and said words do not do justice to his stature in world cricket, while also admitting England is looking forward to the challenge of taking him on.
Jos Buttler hails Virat Kohli before England ODIs, calls him a global superstar
The ODI series opener between India and England at Edgbaston could mark Kohli's final ODI appearance in England before he calls time on his international career. With Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah also returning, India will field one of their most experienced ODI sides against an England team eager to continue its recent success.
Jos Buttler believes facing players of Virat Kohli's calibre is what international cricket is all about. While acknowledging India's star-studded batting line-up, the former England white-ball captain reserved special praise for Kohli, calling him one of the greatest players of the modern era.
Speaking to ECB ahead of the ODI series, Buttler said: "He's obviously an absolute superstar, probably the most recognisable cricketer in the world. I don't think words do justice to his stature in the game. And obviously his record, especially in this format of the game has been incredible."
Jos Buttler added that England relish competing against elite cricketers and expect Kohli to present one of their biggest challenges in the series. He stated:
"It's always great playing against the best players, and obviously he's one of them. So it's going to be a great challenge for us and we look forward to it."
Virat Kohli enters the series with an outstanding ODI record behind him. Across 299 ODI innings, he has scored 14,797 runs at an average of 58.71, including 54 centuries and 77 half-centuries, making him one of the most successful batters in the history of the format.
Virat Kohli vs Adil Rashid - A battle to watch out for
One of the key contests during the ODI series is expected to be between Virat Kohli and England leg-spinner Adil Rashid.
Although Kohli has scored 112 runs off Rashid in ODI cricket, the leg-spinner has dismissed him five times. Kohli has faced 130 deliveries from Rashid at a strike rate of 86.15 while averaging 22.50 against him.
The numbers underline Rashid's ability to keep Kohli relatively quiet and take his wicket regularly, making this contest one of England's biggest weapons against India's batting line-up.
At the same time, Kohli's experience of playing quality spin around the world means he will be eager to improve those numbers and deny England an early breakthrough.
With England expected to rely heavily on Rashid in the middle overs, how Kohli handles the leg-spinner could have a significant influence on the outcome of the series.
Virat Kohli set to play 300th ODI innings in 1st match vs England
The first ODI at Edgbaston will also be another significant landmark in Kohli's remarkable career as he is set to play his 300th ODI innings.
Several batting greats have reached the same milestone over the years. Sachin Tendulkar scored 98 in his 300th ODI innings, Kumar Sangakkara made 64, Jacques Kallis scored 47, while Ricky Ponting managed 15. It now remains to be seen what Virat Kohli adds to that list.
The India star also has an exceptional record in SENA countries, having scored ten ODI centuries across South Africa, England, Australia and New Zealand.
His centuries came against England at Cardiff in 2011, Sri Lanka at Hobart in 2012, New Zealand at Napier in 2014, Pakistan at Adelaide in 2015, Australia at Melbourne and Canberra in 2016, South Africa at Durban, Cape Town and Centurion in 2018, and Australia at Adelaide in 2019.
Despite that outstanding record, Kohli has not registered an ODI century in a SENA nation since his unbeaten 104 against Australia at Adelaide in January 2019. The England series presents another opportunity to end that seven-year wait while reaching another memorable milestone in his ODI career.
