Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt reckons that Virat Kohli, the batting maestro of Team India, stands head and shoulders above his competition. Butt highlighted numerous attributes that distinguish the champion cricketer from his peers.
Butt suggested that in the upcoming years, Kohli has the potential to establish himself as the greatest cricketer ever to have played the game. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt remarked:
Everything from his attitude to concentration to work ethic to preparation to attention to detail, everything is top-notch. Have you ever heard him speak? If you see his clips, you will know the kind of in-depth knowledge of himself and the game he has.”
“He is not a normal human. He is a proper World No. 1. There are just two players in the world with such performances to their names, and he might be the No. 1 to have ever played the game in the coming years. So, we are not talking about any international player; he is THE player,” the former Pakistan skipper added.
Virat Kohli emerged as one of the standout performers with the bat for India in the recently concluded two-match Test series against South Africa. Amassing a total of 172 runs from four innings, he concluded the series as the second-highest run-scorer with an average of 43.00.
“Mukesh Kumar made a big difference”- Salman Butt on Indian Pacer’s impact in the 2nd Test
In the second and final Test, the Indian bowlers wreaked havoc, dismissing South Africa for 55 and 176 runs in the first and second innings, respectively. The Men in Blue secured a comprehensive seven-wicket victory by successfully chasing down the 79-run target on the second day.
The two early wickets by Mukesh Kumar made a big difference. He dismissed Dean Elgar, who had played an outstanding knock in the previous match, and then Tony de Zorzi, who looked in good form in the ODI series. So, those were crucial wickets for India. What Jasprit Bumrah did after that was a clean-up job.”
Mukesh who made his debut earlier in this WTC Cycle, was not picked for the first test. After a poor show from the Indian bowlers, he replaced Shardul Thakur for the second test.
“Markram showed positive intent and played good cricket”- Salman Butt
Aiden Markram emerged as the solitary warrior for South Africa in the second innings. Despite the challenges posed by the uneven pitch, and with batters from both teams facing difficulties, the Protea opening batsman showcased his class by getting his seventh Test ton. Markram compiled an impressive innings, scoring 106 runs off 103 balls.
Commending Markram’s remarkable performance, Butt said,
Aiden Markran showed positive intent, despite some unplayable bowing and extra bounce. He failed in the last few innings, which could be the reason why he opted to go with such an approach this time. He played good cricket, but it was not good enough to challenge India.”
India mounted a strong comeback after a disheartening defeat in Centurion, securing their inaugural Test victory against South Africa in Cape Town and leveling the series 1-1.
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