West Indies' batting great Brian Lara said that if his son wishes to take up any sport in future, he would ask him to look up to Virat Kohli, imbibing his commitment and dedication towards the game.
Speaking at the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture in Kolkata, Lara expressed his admiration for Kohli's relentless dedication and commitment to cricket. He hailed Kohli as an exceptional role model, particularly for his outstanding performances in the ODI World Cup 2023, where Kohli was named Player of the Tournament.
"I have a son and I can tell you that if my son has to play any sport, I will be using Kohli's commitment and dedication to not just add to his strength, but whatever it takes to become a Number one sportsman. First of all, for Virat Kohli, I know a lot of people will say or have already said that Kohli's performance does not matter as India did not win the World Cup,” Lara said as quoted by Times of India.
“Team sport is about winning and you, as an individual player, have to have that as your No.1 target. But a subsidiary of team success is individual success, and this is what Kohli has given India match after match throughout the World Cup," he added.
Kohli's exceptional performance in the World Cup 2023 has earned him widespread admiration from cricket legends including Lara. Kohli's remarkable run-scoring spree, culminating in a staggering 765 runs across 11 matches at an impressive average of 95.62, solidified his position as one of the greatest ODI batsmen of all time. Kohli's achievements during the tournament included becoming the first player to reach 50 ODI centuries, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record for most runs in a single World Cup edition, and achieving the highest number of fifty-plus scores.
"What impresses me most about Kohli is his true legacy, for he has changed the face of cricket and how you prepare for the game. The discipline that he has stands out, always," Lara concluded.
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