Virat Kohli is the best in world cricket today: Marvan Atapattu

Former Sri Lankan captain Marvan Atapattu has rated the India’s Virat Kohli as the best batsman right now in the world cricket. Kohli had a brilliant tour of Sri Lanka where he aggregated 330 runs in the ODI series including two centuries, a hundred in Test series and a match winning 82-run knock in the T20I game. Atapattu said Kohli can face bad times like other players but he is someone who can come out of those patches quickly and continue to be at their best.

Kohli, who is currently at the peak of his career, has shown some great consistency irrespective of the format, the host country, and opposition by scoring loads of runs. In the last two years, the Indian batsman’s numbers touch new highs and he’s set some new records while leading the national team in all the formats.

“Cricket is a game of uncertainties, isn’t it? Virat is batting as well as anybody I have seen in my career. If he continues to bat this way, obviously it doesn’t have to come from me, he will go past everybody,” said Atapattu.

“But in reality, cricket won’t stay the same. There will be both good and bad times. Important thing is how he comes out of bad times when he gets into. It happened to him in England but he came out of it. But it (bad form) won’t happen to him too many times. Certainly he is the best in world cricket today,” the former Sri Lankan was quoted saying to the International Business Times during the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) at Mysuru on Friday.

Malinga should decide on his own.

The 46-year-old said that Lasith Malinga should take a call on his own by looking at his body and the way he is bowling at the moment. Atapattu felt Malinga should know how long he can give his best and help the team win.

“Lasith should know about his body than anybody else. If he can be the same Lasith Malinga like how he was some years back then he should continue. It is a call that he should make considering his body and how he is bowling. At the end of the day the way he has played and performed, his name should not be tarnished. I am sure he knows that.” said the former Sri Lankan opener.