WI legend Brian Lara lauds Kohli for his 'commitment and dedication'

Brian Lara, Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)

West Indies legend Brian Lara said that if his son plays any sport, he will inspire him by giving Virat Kohli's example of commitment and dedication.

India's stalwart batsman Virat Kohli had a memorable ICC World Cup 2023 campaign. Despite ending as runners-up to Australia, Kohli broke several records and his masterful strokes were a delight to watch. During the tournament. Kohli scripted history by becoming the first-ever batsman to score 50 ODI centuries in cricketing history.

Lauding star India batter Virat Kohli for his performances in the recently-concluded ICC Cricket World Cup at home, Lara said, "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".

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Lara pointed out that many people will dismiss Virat's contribution during the World Cup as Men in Blue failed to lift the trophy, but the subsidiary of team success is individual success, something Virat achieved in heaps throughout the tournament.

The legendary WI batter said that Virat has changed the "face of cricket" and how one prepares for a game through his discipline, a stand-out trait of the batter.

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"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. 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. 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 said at the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture in Kolkata.

Kohli ended the tournament by emerging as the leading run-scorer. In 11 matches, he scored 765 runs at an average of 95.62, with three centuries and six fifties. His best score was 117. He also achieved the milestone of scoring the most runs in a single ODI World Cup edition, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record of 673 runs in the 2003 ODI World Cup. He also surpassed Sachin to register the most fifty-plus scores in a single World Cup.

In 27 ODIs this year, Virat has scored 1,377 runs at an average of 72.47 and a strike rate of over 99. He has scored six centuries and eight fifties in 24 innings, with the best score of 166'.

(With ANI Inputs)