Exclusive - Allan Lamb: Virat Kohli Plays Like Viv Richards

When I was speaking to England great Allan Lamb, he was probably in sublime touch and I looked like the rookie struggling to get off the mark, but he took my name and made me feel at home. I huffed and puffed my way to make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and nearly missed out on the questions I had penned down in advance. It became more of a conversation than an interview as we spoke about cricket then and now.

Lamb liked to play the aggressive brand of cricket. A batsman would probably think about choosing his bat from the options available but Lamb would win you a match with an opponents bat. He was that sort of player – instinctive with ‘in your face’ approach. Maybe, that is one of the reason he was successful against the tall and fiery West Indies bowling line-up which many feared facing.

Allan Lamb: Virat Kohli plays a bit like Viv Richards

West Indies great Viv Richards would terrorize the batsmen, bowlers and on-lookers alike. As he walked into the crease many of his opponents ‘reportedly’ had goosebumps. For Allan Lamb, India captain Virat Kohli who has made record-breaking look easy, is that sort of player. He has similarities in his approach to the West Indies great.

Sachin Tendulkar was different in his approach. He would stay steady and build his innings, ‘hit those centuries’ calmly, explained Lamb. The England great also said, comparisons will be there, but people need to understand before comparing Don Bradman to someone that, for him Barry Richards was the greatest player ever and it goes like that.

“You take Virat Kohli…. Virat Kohli plays a bit like Viv Richards, very swagger, in people’s faces and all. (Sachin) Tendulkar got into these job quietly, just went around getting hundreds…. total different player, he wasn’t in people’s faces….if you look at him brilliant, the world’s best in his time. But you know, people try to compare Don Bradman with….he said Barry Richards was the best player you have ever seen, it is for Don Bradman to tell you like that,” Allan Lamb said in an exclusive interview with Cricket Addictor.

“If you ask me about a Kohli who does he compare to, I would say Viv Richards, because he was one of those arrogant,” he added.

If you ever happen to visit Northampton, do not forget to visit the ‘The Allan Lamb room’, named after the man himself for his illustrious career, located in the county club’s indoor cricket center. He was one the greatest player to have represented Northamptonshire.