Legendary India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that star India batter Virat Kohli will play a pivotal role in India’s World Cup campaign. He further compares Kohli’s role to what Sachin Tendulkar did in 2011. He also said that the Indian team should ease the pressure on Kohli and let him play freely. Notably, Kohli has been in great form since the Asia Cup 2022, and hopes are high for him.
“He will have a huge role in the World Cup. He is the kind of figure Sachin Tendulkar was in 2011. The team should actually not put so much pressure on him and rather take some pressure away from him by taking those responsible decisions that they will do the job,” Harbhajan told News24 Sports.
“If the other guys do that job, I will say, let Virat Kohli play his own game. When he plays his own game, the guy is unstoppable. He is a champion player; there is no doubt about it,” he further added.
Harbhajan further stated that even when Kohli bats in any situation, there is no one to be compared with him. He said, “People say he is a chase master, but I say whether you get him to chase or bat first, batting-wise, he is probably the best. No one can be compared to him. But set him slightly free in big matches.”
“Don’t tell him that if Virat gets out, the match will be over. That should not happen. If Virat gets out, no issue; we will manage. We have Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shubman Gill; they are all mighty players. So I hope the pressure on him is slightly reduced and he can play his game.”
“They will win it for Kohli”, said Virender Sehwag
Earlier, former India batter Virender Sehwag had said that everyone will look to win the World Cup for Virat Kohli. “Everyone needs to win this World Cup for Virat Kohli. The kind of great player he is, and a great human being also, he always helps other players”, he said while speaking with Star Sports last month.
Notably, Virat Kohli will start the World Cup as the top batter in ODI history among active players. He has 12,898 ODI runs at an average of 57.32 and 46 centuries, trailing only Sachin Tendulkar, who has 49 ODI hundreds. In ODIs in 2023, he has been in superb form, amassing 427 runs in just nine matches.
Here is how fans reacted to Harbhajan Singh’s comments:
Why only crediting Virat Kohli for being a champion? What about his parents who brought him into this world? What about his coach who taught him how to bat? What about his grandparents who brought his parents into this world?
— Bakri Player (@91_of_79) July 18, 2023
Harbhajan Singh said "Virat Kohli is a champion, he will have a huge role to play in the World Cup, kind of figure like Sachin and he will be unstoppable if he plays his own game". [News24Sports] pic.twitter.com/XsXj5Fnyka
— FIRE⁴⁵ (@firefire0045) July 18, 2023
Warra os century for chokli since 2020
Warra trophy as a captain
Warra century in all format as a captain
Warra WTC final
Warra ipl trophy— FIRE⁴⁵ (@firefire0045) July 18, 2023
Greatest Indian spinner of all time 🔥
— ✨Kohli Magic✨ (@_King_Kohli__) July 18, 2023
He is God of cricket tbh
— Emperor.Virat_18🚩 (@Thunder_1817) July 18, 2023
King kohli will bring world cup🙏🐐💙
— Abhinand achuzz (@ravisha47243966) July 18, 2023
Repeat this against PAK in 2023 ODI WC Final🤩
— Khush Thakkar (@Khush_Thakkar12) July 18, 2023
Ye photo muze @VidhanS39784266 lagta hai😭😭😭
— Samir (@SamirPubgWtf) July 18, 2023
Snakebhajan started jinxing
— PAKISTANI🐶 (@bheekhari_mulk) July 18, 2023
What is own game…is he playing others game 🤔🤔
— Arnab Kumar Dutta (@Arnab1427) July 18, 2023
Nobody rates my idolo pic.twitter.com/OhExmzRf5G
— Mission World Cup 23 (@rohancric947) July 18, 2023
Warra os century for Chokli madarxhod since 2019
— Ganguly (@140off113) July 18, 2023
He'll play selfish knocks✊
And yet to score a boundary in ODI KO's 😭😭— 🐐 (@ItsHitmanERA) July 18, 2023
