Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Virat Kohli for clinching the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2023. Former Indian cricketer Manjrekar said that he wasn't surprised by Virat Kohli winning the prestigious award, as he anticipated the batter to deliver his best performance in the ODI World Cup.
India's batting maestro Kohli won the ODI Cricketer of the Year 2023 on January 25 for his captivating performances in the 50-over format previous year. This marked Kohli's fourth time receiving the award, having previously won it in 2012, 2017, and 2018.
“I wasn’t surprised with Virat Kohli winning the ICC Cricketer of the Year 2023. I was anticipating, I predicted that it’s a World Cup year, he will be the No.1 batter. Virat has mastered the 50-over cricket. What was impressive was his batting in the first innings, the way he played," Manjrekar told Sports Star.
Renowned for his mastery in chasing, Kohli demonstrated in this World Cup that he is equally adept at setting targets, according to Sanjay Manjrekar.
Manjrekar went on to say that Kohli demonstrated his expertise in setting targets. He observed that if Kohli faced difficulties in batting, the team encountered challenges in performing well, underscoring their reliance on the right-handed batter.
“He’s known as a master chaser but this World Cup, he proved that he’s a master target setter. When he failed, India felt the pressure. Huge dependency on Virat Kohli in 50-over cricket. He’s a master and congratulations to him on winning the award,” he added.
Manjrekar also said that Virat Kohli showed he is really good at setting targets. He noted that if Kohli didn't perform well, the team had a hard time performing, showing how much they rely on him.
In 2023, Kohli delivered exceptional performances in ODI cricket. He commenced the year on a high note by scoring a century against Sri Lanka and continued his impressive form without any setbacks. His pinnacle moments occurred during the ICC World Cup 2023, where he showcased his finest skills, significantly contributing to the team's journey to the final. The 35-year-old, who won Player of the Tournament in ICC World Cup 2023, scored 1377 runs at an average of 72.47 in the ODIs in 2023. Apart from this, Kohli also racked up six centuries and eight half-centuries in 24 innings that he played.
Overall, Kohli had a staggering year in international cricket. He scored 2,048 runs in 36 international innings and was the second leading run-getter only behind Shubman Gill, who mustered 2154 runs.
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