http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 - Opinion
For the world champions India, their streak of losing ODI series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and the Asia Cup 2012 knock-out, has given them plenty to think about since the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Their critics believe that winning the world cup on home soil is
one thing, but maintaining the 'world champions' tag has been a tedious task for a side which boasts the best battling up in the world.
For many a year, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 to massive totals so that the opposition is well and truly outplayed. Tendulkar would not be a feature this time around however, of yet another encounter
with India’s South Asian rivals. The Micromax Cup of 2012, played between the two world cup finalists, India and Sri Lanka, would bring into the spotlight one man who has consistently performed for India when his side has occasionally faltered in pressing
times.
Virat Kohli, a young, energetic and stylish batsman, currently ranked third in the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 rankings for ODI batsman, is expected to be an integral part of the Indian batting line up which departs for Sri Lanka. Kohli’s batting average since the 2011 world cup
has been astonishing and against Sri Lanka he boasts an individual second best score of 133* off just 86 deliveries at the Bellerive Oval. That performance gave India a sniff in the CB series finals after they were in a precarious situation. His stroke play
during that game was majestic and despite getting slack for lack of consistency since then, he came up with a stand out performance against arch rivals http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in the Asia Cup, where a thunderous 183 off just 148 deliveries helped India chase down 330 against
arguably, the finest bowling attack in the subcontinent. His performances have not only been pivotal but have turned the tides on India, which occasionally ends up on the losing side on occasions.
Kohli’s technique is ideal for subcontinent conditions and the fact that he lingers around in the middle order, highlights his importance to the side. Since the 2011 World Cup, this young player has not only emerged as an asset to the Indian team but the
weight of expectations that he bears on his shoulders is immense. His purple patch is even more significant considering the array of top quality batsman that he needs to compete with in the team.
India’s chances of winning games almost increases manifold when he performs. This is despite the fact that the Men in Blue often field a rather meek and feeble bowling attack. Kohli’s inclusion in the squad that hits the emerald isle would mean that he would
act as a trump card for his country, which is obsessed with Tendulkar’s achievements.
He is pitted against Sri Lanka, which India views as rivals as well as fierce competitors. His record against them in a short space of time has been impressive, where two of his 11 ODI centuries have been against them. The icing on the cake however, is that
both centuries were scored in different conditions, which brings into the limelight his versatility and adaptability to different conditions.
On the seaming wicket of Hobart, he managed to push India over the line in a must win contest by tackling bowlers such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SL-Malinga-c2540 and Thisara Perera with brute force and inelegant ease. His second century against the Lankans was in the Asia Cup, in
different circumstances, where India posted a mammoth 304/3 which enabled them to win the game by 50 runs and gave them some hope of retaining the Asia Cup title, which they won in Sri Lanka four years ago. For Sri Lanka, the danger he poses is thus, obvious,
and his wicket will be the most prized dismissal, as the first ODI kicks off in Hambantota on the 21st of July.
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