The time comes, the man comes. On Saturday, Virat Kohli was once again India's man in times of crisis as he led the team to World Cup glory in his last T20 international.
The star batsman hit 76 off 59 balls to lift India out of early trouble and take them to 176-7 in a thrilling final against South Africa in Barbados.
Kohli's knock had all the makings of a classic and the 35-year-old veteran announced his retirement from India T20 after his team's seven-run win.
His player of the match performance in the title clash came after averaging just 10.7 in the tournament until the final.
Kohli, often compared to his colleague and cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar, retired in the shortest international format with 4,188 runs in 125 matches, including a century and 38 half-tons since his debut in 2010.
“This was an open secret,” Kohli said as he exited the T20 after the victory. “It's time for the next generation to take over, some incredible players will take the team forward and keep the flag high.”
Captain Rohit Sharma was full of praise for his champion and said, “Nobody doubted Virat's form, he has been at his best for the last 15 years. When the opportunity comes, great players step up.”
Nicknamed 'King Kohli' for his prolific scoring ability, the star player has been the backbone of India's batting in three international formats for over a decade.
Kohli and India missed out on world titles after the 2013 Champions Trophy but got used to performing in key matches, including an unbeaten 82 against arch-rivals Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne.
He carried Tendulkar on his shoulders after being part of the 2011 ODI World Cup victory and last year surpassed the great batsman's all-time record with his 50th ton in last year's 50-over masterpiece in home.
“Virat never played to get records. He got them as he progressed,” said Kohli's biographer Vijay Lokapally. AFP.
“His batting skills and work ethic combined to create magic. Longevity leads to milestones and that is what Virat has inherited from stalwarts like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar.”
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Kohli has invoked a similar emotional response from cricket-crazy Indian and global fans that Tendulkar once enjoyed.
His number 18 jersey has an overwhelming presence on all Indian grounds.
The number was selected because he made his ODI debut on 18 August 2008 and to honour his father, Prem, who passed away on 18 December 2006.
With over 26,000 international caps and a total of 80 centuries across three formats, the comparisons with Tendulkar are obvious, but Lokapally disagrees.
“He doesn't like this comparison. He has his identity. Sachin Tendulkar has his. Their styles are different,” Lokapally said.
“Sachin has faced some ferocious bowlers. Virat has also dominated. Sachin is incomparable. If Virat enjoys cricket today it is because of the reputation that Indian cricket acquired thanks to Sachin Tendulkar.”
Known for being very outspoken, Kohli has never shied away from battle on the field and despite his frequent run-ins with controversies, the star remains one of the most popular cricketers.
Fans invading the field to touch feet and take selfies are still a common sight in Indian stadiums.
He is also fabulously wealthy, topping the list of India's highest-paid athletes with earnings of $33.9 million, mostly from brand endorsements, according to analysts Sportico's 2022 list.
Kohli went through a prolonged crisis streak that spanned over two years from 2021, failing to reach three figures in over 1000 days.
He stepped down as T20 captain at the end of 2021 and was soon sacked as ODI captain.
Kohli also stopped leading the Test team and later spoke about his mental struggles during his dry spell, including how he had been “irresistible” with his wife Anushka Sharma.
Kohli then reached his first hundred after a gap of 1,020 days in the 2022 T20 World Cup and has not looked back.
Kohli may still have some unfinished business in T20. As a star batsman for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he is yet to win an Indian Premier League title.
