Is Virat Kohli The Greatest Batter In Successful Run Chases?

Without taking a look at the records, many would easily conclude that Kohli is the greatest chaser in history in ODI cricket. But what do the actual stats say? Well, they only corroborate the hypothesis. Among batters who have an exceptional record in...

Team India beat Australia by six wickets in the ICC ODI 2023 World Cup match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8. While KL Rahul was the Player of the Match for his fantastic 97 not out off 115 balls, senior batter Virat Kohli also had a key role to play in the memorable win. He first took a brilliant catch at slip to kick off proceedings for India on a positive note. Kohli then anchored the innings in the company of Rahul, scoring a defiant 85 off 116 balls. While Rahul struck eight fours and two sixes, Kohli hit only six fours, preferring to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard moving.

Kohli and Rahul’s knocks were special considering the fact that India were three wickets down with only two runs on the board after the end of two overs - Ishan Kishan, captain Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer all back in the hut without scoring. Both Kohli and Rahul, however, showed great resolve to pull India out of a hole. While Rahul is beginning to flourish into a finisher, for Kohli, chases have become like bread and butter. With the World Cup underway, it’s a good time to analyze whether he is the greatest batter in successful run chases.

IN NUMBERS: KOHLI - THE CHASE MASTER