'Virat Kohli's Performance Does Not Matter As India Didn't Win The World Cup..'- Brian Lara

Legendary batsman Brian Lara has expressed his disappointment over the criticism faced by Virat Kohli despite his stunning display with the bat in the recently concluded ICC World Cup 2023.

The former India skipper enjoyed a record-breaking World Cup and played a huge role in the team’s dominating march to the final where they suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Australia. In 11 games, he scored a staggering 765 runs at an average of more than 95 and a strike rate of 90.

In 11 innings, he registered a 50-plus score in 9 innings. The right-handed batsman hit three centuries and 6 half-centuries including one in the final. He broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record of most runs in a single edition of the World Cup and became the first-ever batsman to touch the 700-run mark in the competition. During the course of the tournament, he also broke Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI tons.

Brian Lara on criticism faced by Virat Kohli:

Despite the historic World Cup campaign, Virat Kohli has faced criticism from certain quarters. Throughout the competition, he faced criticism for his strike rate. After the World Cup too, many stated that the star batsman’s run-tally does not matter much since India could not win the tournament. However, Brian Lara is not at all impressed with it as he fired a warning to Virat Kohli’s critics.

“This (ODI) World Cup was a joy to watch. First of all, for Virat Kohli… I know a lot of people will say or have already said that it (Kohli’s performance) does not matter as India did not win the World Cup,” Brian Lara said during his speech at The Bhawanipur Education Society College, presenting the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture – an initiative by The Bengal Club and The Telegraph.

“Team sport is about winning and you, as an individual player, have to have that as your No.1 target. But a subsidiary of team success is individual success, and that is what Kohli has given India match after match throughout the World Cup.

“Now, that did not impress me because the man is capable of much more. (But) what impresses me most about Kohli is his true legacy… For, he has changed the face of cricket and how you prepare for the game. The discipline that he has stands out, always,” added the former West Indies captain.

Virat Kohli will be seen in action later this month when India take on South Africa in the two-match Test series. The first Test is scheduled to be played from December 26.