16 years ago, a young Virat Kohli named South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs as his favourite cricketer ahead of idol Sachin Tendulkar. Kohli went on to lead India to victory in Under-19 World Cup 2008 in Malaysia. More than half a decade later, Gibbs has finally had his say on Kohli picking him over Indian cricketers. He admitted that people often tag him on X (formerly know as Twitter) with the video of Kohli.
I have. People have tweeted it to me so I did have a look and I was pleasantly surprised. I think it's quite nice,” he said in an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak.
“I'm a big admirer of him. The way he's played, he's got the utmost respect with regards to what he's achieved at international level. I also think his temperament and character under pressure especially chasing in ODI Cricket is second to none. I think that makes him just a bit more special than the other modern players.”
Gibbs hails Rohit - the captain
Gibbs lauded Rohit Sharma who led India to their second T20 World Cup title win with a seven-run win over South Africa in Barbados. He lauded Rohit for infusing confidence into the rich talent pool.
“I think they have such a variety of skill and a lot more of depth with regards to what they've had in the past. They have a lot of young batters who are very confident and have self-belief. It makes a huge difference when you start showing that character and in particular potential from an early age,” he said.
“It says a lot about the individuals that make up their squad so I mean you look at some of their players for me I would definitely pay good money to go and watch them play.”
Gibbs also praised Rohit for his aggressive intent. He feels that captaining Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the decade helped him fight under pressure.
“Some of the shots that he played were very much a shiny light. I think for India, Rohit's captaincy has helped him having been around for a long time with Mumbai Indians where similar situations have come up and he has learned to fight it up under pressure,” he opined.
“The years of experience definitely showed in his captaincy and I think his batting in the last couple of games was good as he took his game to another level. I mean the intensity with which he played was complete turnaround so he definitely peaked at the right time. You play your best game in the biggest moments,” he added.
South Africa to face India in must-win game
Gibbs is currently playing in the World Championship of Legends 2024. He scored 26 runs against England Champions in a losing cause. After beating Pakistan Champions, Jacques Kallis-led Proteas will take on India Champions in their last league game on July 10 in an attempt to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
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