Best ODI batsman I have Seen Would Be Viv Richards & Virat Kohli: Shane Warne

With Virat Kohli showing no signs of slowing down, one thing is more or less confirmed that he is head and shoulders above his contemporaries.  Kohli is redefining consistency with his unprecedented batting prowess. The 30-year old has already carved a special place for him in the game.

Earlier this year, he became the first man to win all three ICC awards. Kohli was named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and Cricketer of the Year. In 2018, Kohli was named ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year and Cricketer of the Year. In doing so, he became only the third man to win the ICC Cricketer of the Year twice and the second to win it in consecutive years.

At just 30, Kohli has amassed a staggering 41 ODI tons and is second in the list of most ODI centuries. Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 49 centuries but the way Kohli is batting at the moment, the record is in grave danger.  Recently, Kohli underlined his reputation as the best batsman in the world by scoring two stunning tons against Australia. The way Kohli is batting at the moment, the cricketing world is busy comparing him with Sachin Tendulkar.

Well, former Australia spinner Shane Warne has fun take on the much-debated topic. The legendary spinner, who is the current Rajasthan Royals brand ambassador, declined to pick one from the two but said he ‘would not wish to bowl to either of the Indian batsmen’.

“Sachin in the mid 90s and also Brian Lara in the mid 90s were a class above everyone else. Not so much in the later half of their careers, but in that phase of four to five years from 1994-95 they were just a class above.

“Virat and Sachin are two completely different players altogether, but they are greats. None (I would wish to bowl to) actually (Warne laughs). To me both are terrific players, I couldn’t chose one,” Warne told IANS.

He further said that former Windies batsman Sir Viv Richards and Virat Kohli are his best ODI batsmen.

“To me the best ODI batsman I have seen would be Viv and Virat. Virat’s record is just insane — that how good he is. It is just so hard to judge a player when he is playing,” he said.