India have always been blessed with world-class batsmen, including the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar among others. India captain Virat Kohli is gradually inching towards that league of stalwarts, scoring runs all over the world against top-class oppositions.
The right-hander made his India ODI debut in 2008, the same year he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the first edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Kohli looked a promising player while representing RCB, and New Zealand star Ross Taylor was also a part of the franchise in 2008, so the Kiwi batsman knows Kohli from a young age.
Kohli has come a long way from his Under-19 cricket days to IPL to the national team. He has become a matured cricketer, becoming an idol for many youngsters picking up a bat not only in India but also around the globe.
Kohli has accumulated 4,418 IPL runs in the last 10 editions while his performance for the national team has been stupendous across all formats, scoring 15,277 international runs so far.
Taylor was all praise for Kohli, and even went to the extent of saying that he will be one of the best players of all time.
"Look I have enjoyed watching Virat grow and have followed his progress from the young player of 2008 for RCB to the player he is now. Him and (Kane) Williamson are very similar. Batsmen who ask questions at a very young age and you can see the class at very young age," "India Today" quoted Taylor as saying.
"To see him where he is today and the consistency he has and now with the added responsibility of captaining the country, that he has taken with both hands. I am sure for the next however long he wants to play, he will be one of the best players of all time to have played the game. Which is high praise for a player of his age," he added.
Taylor and Kohli will be involved in the upcoming India versus New Zealand ODI and T20I series. The India skipper, who will be eager to score some big runs, will also have his eyes on winning both the series and further continue "Men in Blue"s dominance in world cricket.
The first ODI is set to be played in Mumbai on Sunday (October 22).
