Virat Kohli was unanimously voted as the best ODI player and the best cricketer of the Decade in an online poll conducted by the ICC
After featuring in the all three teams of the decade - ODIs, T20Is and Tests - current Indian skipper Virat Kohi has been named as the ODI Player of the Decade. Not just this Virat has also been named as the Men's cricketer of the Decade.
Not just his consistency across all formats, his performances, records and statistics speak for themselves.
In the 10-year period since 2011, Virat has scored a monumental 10,561 runs in the ODI format at an averga eof 61.83. He has smashed 39 centuries and 48 fifties in the same period and has grabbed on to 112 catches.
He is the only player to score 10,000-plus runs in the ODI cricket during the awards period.
'Stats are just byproducts of what you want to do on the field': Kohli
Speaking about the accolade, Virat Kohli felt happy and honoured to receive the award.
"ODI cricket is something that I took to very early, I came into the team into the ODI team first then I made my Test debut two years later.
"So I got the understanding of my game in ODI cricket pretty early and my only intention and mindset was to make winning contributions for the team and i just strived to do that every I game I played and I never focussed on stats and numbers along the journey at all. Those just become the byproduct of what you want to do on the field and those for me just end up being the milestones that you just cross on the path of victory," he added.
Kohli has been one of the most consistent players and run-chasers in the history of the game, who averages around 80 in run-chases.
Talking about the evolution of the ODI cricket and the influence of T20 cricket on the same, Virat mentioned that earlier there was used to be four fielders inside the ring in the powerplay but the two new ball rule came in and T20 cricket's popularisation meant 300-350 scores were chased down pretty easily compared to a time where 260-270 was a great score.
Sir Garfield Sobers Men's Cricketer of the Decade
Apart form being named the best cricketer in the ODI format, Virat Kohli was also named the Men's cricketer of the Decade. Virat Kohli was the highest run-scorer in the Awards period of 10 years, scoring 20,396 runs across formats.He smashed more hundreds than anyone in the period, 66, along with 94 fifties.
Among players with minimum of 70-plus innings, Virat Kohli also has the highest batting average of 56.97.
Talking about the recoginition and the best moments for him as a cricketer in the last decade, Virat Kohli said that winning the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup at home, 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in England and winning the Test series against Australia in 2018 were the highlights of his career from the awards period.
About his mindset as a cricketer when he steps on to the field every single time playing for India, Virat said, "If you focus on consistency alone, I don't think you can be as consistent. If your endeavour is to make sure that you step on to the field to make your team win at any cost, in that mindset you can perform beyond your limitations and your own abilities.
"That's always been my mindset. [To] give my heart and soul on the field for my team and make sure that as a team we are always moving forward in the right direction whether we get the results or not. It's the mindset that you take on the field and that helps you to be consistent in all formats of the game for a long period of time because you are looking forward to making sure that you make some impact every time you step on to the field.
"So whether it's a contribution of 40, 50 or 60, a hundred a double-hundred or whatever it is, my aim is to bat as long to get the team in good positions," he added.
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