27 August,2024 05:06 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
James Anderson (Pic: File Pic)
Former England pacer James Anderson feels that Indian stalwart Virat Kohli is one one of the best players for chasing runs and finishing games, keeping in ind his domination in white-ball cricket.
James Anderson was speaking on the Tailenders Podcast recently.
Speaking on the podcast, Virat said, "I do not know if there is been a better batter in the history of the game batting second and chasing down scores than Virat Kohli. His record at chasing is absolutely phenomenal. The number of hundreds he has scored in the second innings, chasing down scores is ridiculous."
James Anderson stated that Virat Kohli's chasing abilities are great due to the amount of self-belief he has.
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"It is no surprise that when he gets in that situation, with his mentality, it is just like it is meant to be. His self-belief is so high," added Anderson.
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On being asked if Virat is the greatest white-ball batter ever, Anderson said that while Michael Bevan of Australia would pull off fine finishes for Australia in the 1990s and early 2000s, the centuries scored by Virat during successful chases make him the "greatest finisher" besides one of the best white-ball batters ever.
"I cannot say that. I was thinking more in terms of just chasing. [As for the best white-ball batter ever,] Michael Bevan from Australia comes to my mind, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s - he was just phenomenal coming in at number six and doing that job," he said.
"Kohli batting at number 3 gets those hundreds while Bevan was renowned for getting his 50s, 60s and being at the end, while Kohli gets the big score, to get his teams over the line. I honestly can't think of a better finisher and greater white-ball players than him [Kohli]," he added.
Anderson also opened up about the much-talked and dominant rivalry between him and Virat. The Indian star has faced Anderson in 36 Test innings, with the right-hander scoring 305 runs with an average of 43.57. James Anderson has also been successful in snapping the wicket of Kohli seven times in his career.
However, Virat upped his game in English conditions big time during the 2018 tour, topping the run-charts with 593 runs in five matches at an average of 59.30, with two centuries and three fifties and best score of 149.
Virat Kohli is considered as one of the greatest white-ball batsmen of all time. Since his ODI debut in 2008 against Sri Lanka, Virat has accumulated 13,906 runs in 295 matches with a strike rate of 93.54. He registered 50 centuries and 72 half-centuries. Kohli holds the record for the most centuries by any batsman in the ODI format and is also the third-highest ODI run-getter ever.
He is also the second-highest run-getter in T20Is, scoring 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69, with a strike rate of over 137, with a century and 38 fifties.
His records while chasing are phenomenal, scoring 7,852 runs in 162 ODI matches at an average of 64.36, with 27 centuries and 40 fifties. In 53 T20Is and 48 innings, while chasing, he has scored 2,013 runs at an average of 67.10, with a strike rate of 136.47 and 20 fifties. His best score was 94'.
(With ANI Inputs)
