Former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad showered praise on senior Indian batter Virat Kohli on New Year's Eve. During a Q and A session on Twitter, Prasad hailed Kohli as a champion, declaring that 2023 was the batter's most impressive performance.
Kohli amassed 2048 runs across all formats in 2023, securing the second-highest run tally, just behind Shubman Gill, who scored 2154 runs. The ex-India captain delivered a stellar performance in the ODI World Cup, concluding with 765 runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record. The 35-year-old also reached the milestone of 50 centuries in ODIs during the year, once again breaking Tendulkar's record.
"He has proved again that he is a champion and the best batsman of this generation, been a phenomenal year for him. Would rate this as his best year, especially since it had come after a couple of difficult years for him. That hunger and zeal was refreshing and sign of a true champion that Virat is," said Venkatesh Prasad on Twitter.
In the Centurion Boxing Day Test match, the ex-India captain emerged as India's top batter. Kohli performed admirably in both innings, but unfortunately, he lacked significant support from the rest of the Indian team. Apart from Kohli, KL Rahul showcased impressive batting in the first innings, achieving a remarkable century in the Test match against South Africa.
Rahul is the second Indian wicketkeeper-batter to achieve a century in South Africa, following in the footsteps of Rishabh Pant.
His score of 101 contributed significantly to India's first innings total of 245, and Rahul holds the distinction of being the sole visiting batter to achieve two centuries at Centurion's SuperSport Park.
India's upcoming Test match, scheduled after the New Year in Cape Town, presents an opportunity for the team to aim for a series draw and mitigate the impact on the World Test Championship points table.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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