Kohli the complete batsman: Finch

Australian T20 captain Aaron Finch and Indian captain MS Dhoni give different reasons for Virat Kohli being a master batsman.

India's Virat Kohli.

Australian T20 captain Aaron Finch has praised India's Virat Kohli as the "complete batsman". (AAP)

What's the secret behind the growing legend of Indian maestro Virat Kohli?

His captain MS Dhoni reckons it's Kohli's curiosity. His calculating nature. And inner drive.

Australia's Twenty20 captain Aaron Finch reckons it's Kohli's wrists. His hands. And his feet.

The man himself reckons it's simplicity.

"Just trying to keep things simple," Kohli said after his latest match-winner, an unbeaten 90 in India's victory against Australia in Tuesday night's Twenty20 game.

His knock - from just 55 balls - continues Kohli's love affair with Adelaide Oval.

In four Test innings at the oval, he's made three centuries. Add another Adelaide ton in a 2014 one-day international. And now 90 not out in his first T20 match at the ground.

"I could take this stadium with me wherever I bat ... this stadium is right up there with anywhere in the world," Kohli said.

Dhoni jokingly said Adelaide Oval should name a grandstand after Kohli.

"I think Adelaide, they are making a stand of him, the amount of runs he's scoring," Dhoni said.

"By the time he ends his career, quite a few Australian grounds he will have his stand."

But seriously, captain. What's Kohli's secret?

"The important thing is when he's taking a risk or playing a big shot, he calculates it well," Dhoni said.

"Everybody can play the big shot but it's how you calculate it.

"He is also somebody who looks to score in front of the wicket. He is a good cutter and puller of the ball also. But at the same time he looks to hit in front of the wicket, that always give him the chances of being successful.

"And he is somebody who reads the game well.

"Right from when he started, whenever we had any kind of interaction, he is always looking to improve himself as a cricketer.

"And I feel that is something that helps you improve, if you have that kind of curiosity. It helps you become a better cricketer."

Finch said it was near futile setting a field for Kohli, given the strokeplayer's soft hands, supple wrists and twinkling feet.

"He doesn't seem to hit it to too many fielders so sometimes it doesn't really matter where you put them," Finch said.

"The way that he uses his hands. He's a great player off the back foot. Off the front foot he can use his feet. He's good against spin - he's a pretty complete player.

"And when you're looking at trying to restrict his scoring, the way he's so good with his wrists it means he can just get it into gaps.

"He runs hard, so he's always putting pressure back on the bowlers.

"And that is what makes him such a great player."


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3 min read

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Source: AAP



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