Steve Smith and Virat Kohli, the torchbearers of the modern-day game have set the standards high for their contemporaries. While Smith was busy nearing a bradmansque performance in his recent test matches, Indian captain Virat Kohli was busy setting unmatchable records in white-ball cricket. Fierce competitors on the field and good friends off the field, Smith talked about the qualities that he admires in Kohli in his latest Facebook live interaction.
Two of the modern-day greats share a great deal of admiration for each other. Last year during the world cup league match between India and Australia, when the Indian crowd booed Smith, Kohli asked them to stop that and further requested them to clap for him.
Now in one of his recent interviews, Smith heaped rich praise on Kohli. He touched on his incredible fitness routine and the sheer hunger for runs.
“I admire Virat a lot, he is an amazing player. You look at his record now it’s simply incredible. He has done so much for India in cricket. You know the way he plays the game and the sheer passion he has got for Indian cricket.” said Smith while talking to Sony Ten on their Facebook page.
“His willingness to improve and get better. His body seems to have transformed over time and he looks so fit and powerful.”
Smith later went on to praise Koshli for his incredible chasing numbers in white-ball cricket. Nicknamed the ‘Chase Master’, Kohli averages a phenomenal 69.3 while chasing in ODI’s 82.2 while chasing in T20I’s. These are highly unmatchable records and Smith admired him for the same.
“The one thing that I admire about him is the way he chases in white-ball cricket. You look at his average in winning chases in ODI’s and its simply phenomenal” he added.
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Smith added that he is waiting eagerly for the cricketing action to resume and especially for the much-anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. He then went on to praise the Indian team by mentioning that the Indians do possess a very strong batting unit and a much-improved bowling unit. He added that with the revival of Shami and the addition of Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian attack looks much stronger than ever before.
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