“Young cricketers coming through will learn from Virat Kohli” – Gautam Gambhir lauds batter for his brilliant 85 knock against Australia.

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has expressed admiration for Virat Kohli’s exceptional performance in the 2023 World Cup opener against Australia in Chennai. Kohli, who came to bat with India in a precarious position at 2/1 and later 2/3, showcased his chasing prowess by scoring a crucial 85 runs from 116 deliveries, which included six boundaries along with several singles and twos. Notably, Kohli partnered with wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, and together, they orchestrated a game-changing partnership of 165 runs, rescuing India from a dire situation.

In a post-game interview with Star Sports, Gambhir commended Kohli’s innings as a valuable lesson for the younger cricketers.

Gautam Gambhir said “Imagine when you’re 2 or 3 down for two. You can’t go out there and hit a long ball. You will still need to be able to absorb the pressure and try and rotate those strikes. And I’m sure these young cricketers coming through will learn from Virat Kohli. That is very important and that is why he’s so consistent.”

He emphasized how Kohli’s ability to absorb pressure and construct an innings without relying solely on big shots serves as an exemplary model for handling challenging situations in cricket.

“And I’m sure I think a lot of these young cricketers in the dressing room will learn the importance of fitness, the importance of running between the wicket and the importance of how to rotate strike in the middle as well, because with this new format with T20 cricket, a lot of these new guys want to keep hitting the ball out of the ground.”