Indian cricket has been fortunate. Very fortunate. When the sun was setting on Sunil Gavaskar’s career, we wondered who would the next run factory be. Two seasons later, emerged Sachin Tendulkar and when his career was approaching its end, we wondered where that big batting star would emerge from.

Yes, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag were Test icons but they didn’t have to take over where an era ended. Kohli had to —probably unknowingly — and has done so admirably. He has had his crusty patches, but even in those, he hasn’t looked woefully out of form. The opposition were always aware of the warrior within and that sword of a bat never blunted to the point that it was totally harmless.

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A batting average across a period of time is a safe bet to set aside a great batsman from a good one. His 7,962 runs have come at 50.04. Throw in those 27 hundreds and don’t forget the 100 catches. 

Against the best of his opponents —Australia on their soil—he has been imperious. He got garlanded with batting stardom in the Adelaide Test of the otherwise disastrous 2011-12 tour there. His 116 in the first innings at the picturesque South Australian venue was an announcement of arrival of sorts but the Australian cricketers may have seen a special spark in the two innings he played in the previous Test at Perth—44 and 75—both top scores for his team.

At Adelaide, he ensured he got his maiden Test century, but not before enduring some anxious moments in the 90s, courtesy Peter Siddle. Bill Lawry on commentary said he wouldn’t want to be his mum and dad in India in those nervous moments. Lawry, of course, hadn’t heard of the story that Kohli’s father passed away a good five years before that Adelaide ton and how the young Delhi lad batted in the Ranji Trophy game against Karnataka in the knowledge that he had to go home and perform the last rites that evening.

The next time Kohli was at the Adelaide Oval for a Test, it was as captain of India — albeit a caretaker one as Mahendra Singh Dhoni was injured. Kohli’s century in both innings brought to life the 1947-48 feat of Vijay Hazare against Don Bradman & Co. But this time, the hosts were put into a situation where they could lose. Kohli’s second innings century nearly got India home and my departed friend Ashley Mallett, who bowled off-spin for Australia, was convinced that India would have won had they not dropped Ravichandran Ashwin, who was pipped by Karn Sharma. The rookie leggie couldn’t do damage to Michael Clarke & Co on that “minefield” as described by the Adelaide man.

Mallett’s fellow South Australian Ian Chappell reckoned Kohli’s second innings hundred was the finest fourth innings century he had ever witnessed.

Years later, the wily former captain was sure Kohli would have a major say with the bat in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy when India won a Test series for the first time in Australia, and he was right. 

Kohli scored a hundred in Perth where Australia stormed back after losing the opening Test at Adelaide. His 82 was important in India’s first innings score of 443-7 declared at Melbourne where India went 2-1 up before the rain-affected draw in Sydney.

Kohli’s animated antics are liked by some and condemned by others. I belong to the latter, which could well be a minority group. Be that as it may, it just cannot be said that his aggression has helped him reach 100 Tests. Runs, class, drive and numerous other qualities are at the heart of his longevity. 

He can be adventurous in his strokeplay without being suicidal, brutal without appearing to be a crude killer of bowling. And yes, he’s the type you’d want to be with while in the trenches. Over the years, he has earned much kudos for his solidity and not many bowlers can claim he has succumbed easily to them. 

John Arlott, the great writer and broadcaster, passed away long before Kohli became a force, but what Arlott wrote about Sir Jack Hobbs probably holds true for Kohli too: “It is one of the riches of cricket to have watched him bat. Every man who had ever striven to bat could see the flowering of that craft, through perfect execution, into an art.” 

In many ways, Kohli is a complete batsman — a player deserving of 100 Tests and more.

mid-day’s group sports editor Clayton Murzello is a purist with an open stance.
He tweets @ClaytonMurzello Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper.