Ravi Shastri sounded every bit like a broadcaster when asked about the kind of impact Kohli has had on the series.
Ravi Shastri is famous for his tongue-in-cheek replies and had a word of advice for a scribe, who asked him if there is a new moniker that can be attributed to describe India captain Virat Kohli's greatness.
Kohli has racked up three more ODI hundreds in India's 5-1 series win against South Africa and people are finding it hard to come up with new phrases to describe his batting.
"I have a tip for you. If I was in your position I know what I would be doing tomorrow. I would be going to the bookstore and buying the latest Oxford dictionary, just to improve my vocabulary (in praise of Kohli)," Shastri said in jest.
Famous for his cliched one-liners during commentary like "tracer bullets" and "just what the doctor ordered", Shastri sounded every bit like a broadcaster when asked about the kind of impact Kohli has had on the series.
"Huge (impact)! As a batsman? Fabulous - over 500 runs in 6 matches against a South African attack. Do I have to say anything more?" Shastri replied.
Shastri feels that the sheer impact of Virat Kohli's brilliance makes him "world's best batsman" at the moment.
Kohli along with Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steven Smith are considered to be the four top batsmen in world cricket but Shastri feels that the Indian skipper is in a league of his own.
Kohli finished with 558 runs including three centuries in the just-concluded ODI series against South Africa, which India won 5-1.
"It's not just about averages, it is the way you get runs, when you get it, and the impact those runs have on what the team does. I would simply say he is the best batsman in the world now," Shastri declared at the post series media interaction.
Shastri was effusive in his praise for Kohli giving him all credit for the right kind of intensity that he has been able to bring in the unit.
"You spoke of intensity. Where does the intensity come from? When you have a leader like that, who leads by example, the other guys jolly well follow. Otherwise they know what to expect. That's the beauty about this team on this trip where I feel proud as a coach about my boys and the intensity they showed," the former India captain said.The best part for Shastri was the comeback after being 0-2 down in the Test series.
"Even after being two-zero down in the Test series, for them to show that kind of character to come back and win that Test match in Johannesburg on a spiteful pitch. And to then take that momentum into the one-day series and show the consistency they have shown over the last two weeks is fabulous.
"Entire credit should go to the leader because he has led from the front, first with his batting and then as I said with his intensity, which makes other people in the team also up the ante," he added.
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