What makes Virat Kohli a genius? RCB analyst reveals secrets behind the cricketing legend's mind
NEW DELHI:
Virat Kohli
may have stepped away from Test and T20I cricket, but the legend of his game awareness and unparalleled cricketing brain continues to reverberate through dressing rooms and strategy boards.
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Kohli, who retired from Tests ahead of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England, has already called time on his T20I career following India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in 2024. A generational talent and one of the finest all-format batters the game has seen, Kohli scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 in 123 Tests, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties.
In T20Is, he tallied 4188 runs at a stellar average of 48.69, with one hundred and 38 fifties in 125 matches.
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But what sets Kohli apart isn't just his numbers - it's his cricketing intelligence.
RCB team analyst Freddie Wilde, speaking on the Love of Cricket podcast, offered rare insight into Kohli's strategic brilliance during team meetings.
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"You can see Virat's cricketing brain kicks in at those moments. We have team meetings, batting meetings...
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and I'll often lead those by sharing data - bowler by bowler, their patterns, phases, matchups. What's brilliant is how Virat contributes," Wilde said.
'He picks up stuff that the data doesn't always show. He's not someone who asks for loads of data, but what's reassuring is how his gut instinct often lines up perfectly with the analytics. That, for me, is genius,' he added.
Kohli remains active in ODIs and continues to dominate, with 14,181 runs, 51 centuries, and 74 fifties in 302 matches.
In the IPL, Kohli has been the face of Royal Challengers Bengaluru since inception, amassing a record 8661 runs in 267 matches, which includes 8 centuries and 63 fifties.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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