Indian Captain Virat Kohli has time and again been compared to the batting legend Sachin Tendulkar but this comparison doesn’t hold any ground as too many conditions have changed viz, the better bats, powerplays, smaller boundaries, two balls in an ODI game, no fierce bowlers etc.
But, Kohli can be compared to a current lot of batting greats namely Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root and it wouldn’t be difficult to say that Kohli emerges on top. His passion, determination and aggression are unmatched to any of the current players. Him, breaking records or creating new ones has become a norm now.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Tops the Richest Indian Athletes Forbes List
Virat rules at ICC Cricket Awards
ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year ✅
ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year ✅
ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year ✅
Captain of ICC Test Team of the Year ✅
Captain of ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year ✅Let’s hear from the man himself, @imvKohli! #ICCAwards 🏆 pic.twitter.com/3M2pxyC44n
— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2019
Today, ICC (International Cricket Council) has announced the awards for 2018 and Captain Kohli has swept all the major awards. He has been named the ICC Cricketer of the Year, the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year and the ICC ODI Player of the Year.
He has also received Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the year 2018.
Apart from this, has become the first player in the history of Cricket to win all the three major awards for a particular year. Not only is Kohli the first player to win these three major ICC awards together, but he has also been named the captain of the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year.
Rishabh Pant: Emerging Player of the Year
Congratulations to @RishabPant777, the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2018! 🇮🇳
He became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a Test century in England, and equalled the record for the most catches taken in a Test, with 11 in Adelaide in December.#ICCAwards 🏆 pic.twitter.com/s5yQBuwWlv
— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2019
Rishabh Pant has been named the Emerging Player of the Year by the ICC for 2018. Pant made his international debut in August 2018 during the third Test between India and England. He famously hit a six off the very first ball he faced in the match. He went on to score 162 runs in the series and this included a maiden Test century during the final Indian innings in the fifth Test.
Kohli’s countless records
37 matches, 47 innings.
2,735 runs at an average of 68.37.
11 centuries, 9 fifties.What a year for @imvKohli! He wins the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2018! 🙌
➡️ https://t.co/ROBg6RI4aQ#ICCAwards 🏆 pic.twitter.com/oeSClhcfJQ
— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2019
In 2018, Kohli played 14 ODIs and amassed 1202 runs at an astonishing average of 133.55 with six centuries to win the ICC ODI player of the year for the second consecutive year. In the 13 matches that he played, Virat scored 1322 runs at an average of 55.08 with five hundred. Not any other player has even crossed a thousand runs in Test matches in 2018.
With 48% of the vote, India’s triumph in New Zealand to claim their fourth #U19CWC title was voted by you as the ICC Fans’ Moment of the Year 2018! 🇮🇳
➡️ https://t.co/DjxiXotQSq#ICCAwards 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ocdH9KrdhT
— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2019
And also remember, his centuries came in South Africa, England and Australia, away from home!
Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy in Kohli’s kitty too!
In total, Kohli played 37 matches (47 innings), scored 2735 runs at an average of 68.37 including 11 centuries and 9 fifties in 2018 alone. For his fabulous 2018, he has been awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the year.
Congratulations to the ICC Test Team of the Year 2018!
🇳🇿 @Tomlatham2
🇱🇰 @IamDimuth
🇳🇿 Kane Williamson
🇮🇳 @imVkohli (c)
🇳🇿 @HenryNicholls27
🇮🇳 @RishabPant777
🏝 @Jaseholder98
🇿🇦 @KagisoRabada25
🇦🇺 @NathLyon421
🇮🇳 @Jaspritbumrah93
🇵🇰 @Mohmmadabbas111➡️ https://t.co/ju3tzAxwc8 pic.twitter.com/0H28spZUmm
— ICC (@ICC) January 22, 2019
Kohli had won the Sir Garfield Trophy and ICC ODI Player of the Year awards last year and was also the ICC ODI Player of the Year in 2012.
“It feels amazing. It’s a reward for all the hard work that you do throughout the calendar year. I feel really grateful and very, very happy with the team doing well at the same time myself performing. Having recognition at the global level from the ICC is something you feel proud of as a cricketer because you understand that there are many players playing the game,” Virat Kohli said.
“To be rewarded in this manner from amongst all of them is obviously a very proud moment for me and something that gives you more motivation to keep repeating the same things because you have to keep the standard of cricket up and keep bringing inconsistent performances. From that point of view, these awards give you that extra motivation,” he added.
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