Virat Kohli surely deserves another World Cup medal: Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh, the former star all-rounder of India, has showered praise on the batting maestro Virat Kohli, dubbing him the "best batter of this generation" in all formats. Kohli's exceptional performance at the ICC Men's ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, where he set a new record for the highest number of runs scored, further solidified his position as one of the cricketing greats. With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, Kohli, now 35, is eager to add another feather to his cap.

Yuvraj emphasised Kohli's deservingness of a World Cup medal, especially after his stellar contributions to India's victorious campaign in the 2011 edition.

"He has definitely broken all the records in this era. The best batter of this generation, I feel, in all formats. And I think he is also someone who needs a World Cup Medal. He has one. I'm sure he is not satisfied with one. I think he surely deserves that medal as well," Yuvraj said in a chat with ICC.

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Kohli's T20 World Cup journey has been dotted with remarkable performances, notably his breathtaking knock against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground two years ago. With a nerve-wracking run chase of 160 runs, Kohli's unbeaten 82 off just 53 balls left a lasting impression on over 90,000 spectators.

Reflecting on Kohli's prowess, Yuvraj highlighted his astute understanding of the game and ability to thrive under pressure.

"I think he understands his game really well. He knows if he's there till the end, he is going to win the game for India and he has done that on some big occasions - against Australia in Mohali as well. Once he had the confidence to chase and knew the situation, he knew how to bat in these situations, knows which bowlers to attack, which bowlers to take singles off, when to attack again, handle the pressure and when to change his game," Yuvraj said.

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In the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, Kohli continues to dominate, emerging as the leading run-scorer with 542 runs at an average of 67.75 and a strike rate of 148.08. His commitment to excellence, evident in his rigorous training regimen, sets him apart, according to Yuvraj.

"Why I think he was so good was because every time in nets or a practice situation, he would not go and just slog balls. In the nets, he would always bat like he was batting in a match. He put that in repetition after repetition after repetition. I have not seen that in many players. I think that is the key to his success," Yuvraj added.

As India gear up for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Kohli's role as the linchpin of the batting lineup remains pivotal. With the squad announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), anticipation is high as India prepare to face arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening match on June 9 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York.