Ask anyone who has been following cricket from the early days of one-day internationals, they will tell you there has been no batsman quite like Sir Vivian Richards to have graced the game. For his style, swagger and authority over bowlers on a cricket field, many still consider Richards to be the most impactful ODI batsman in the history of the game.
And when that man is left wishing in the commentary box he had played a shot that Virat Kohli played, you know the Indian captain is a special batsman.
The former West Indies cricketer was all praise for the India captain Virat Kohli after he hit a superb boundary off Jason Holder during the third ODI in Trinidad on Wednesday. Kohli, on his way to ODI century No 43, played an extravagant lofted cover drive off Holder in the 22nd over of the run-chase.
Richards, on-air as the commentator at that point, was left in awe as Kohli gave himself room and arched back while still on his front foot, to hit a good length ball on the middle stump over extra cover. Words cannot do justice to that shot but Richards lent the highest praise possible to Kohli.
“Look at the body language.... oh, man. I’d be happy to play something like that when I was playing,” said the legendary Richards, who knows a thing or two about stylish batting.
SHOT of the match!!🙌
— Samagra Adhikari (@samagra_18) August 15, 2019
Sir Viv's comment on that.👌 pic.twitter.com/Jp3OMs4ljG
You can watch the shot played by Kohli here, in the highlights video (fast forward to 15.51 in the video):
The shot left Twitterati in awe as well:
Virat brings out a cover drive so imperious - making room and striking it with such swagger - that it moves Sir Viv to say: ‘I would have liked to play that shot when I was playing.’ The highest praise
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) August 14, 2019
That was some shot by Kohli. The warping of his body to clear and create space to hit through offside. Stupendous. And Viv says "I'd have been happy to have hit a shot like that in my playing days".
— Subash (@cricketcouch) August 14, 2019
Kohli, oh my god. Playing that shot to Vivian Richards commentating.#INDvWI #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/ZZVtqjDzhM
— Suneer (@suneerchowdhary) August 14, 2019