Virat Kohli Considered World No. 1 Because he Bats Exactly Like Viv Richards: Sunil Gavaskar

Indian captain Virat Kohli is widely hailed as one of the best batsmen in the modern era. Since making his international debut in 2008, Kohli has never looked behind and went on to script numerous batting records with and conquered new territories with his skill and passion. Heaping praise on the modern 'run-machine', former captain Sunil Gavaskar has drawn similarities between Kohli and West Indies legend Viv Richards. Gavaskar said that the current Indian captain's batting is very similar to that of Richards.

Thhe 31-year-old Kohli is the only batsman in the world who averages over 50 in all three formats (Tests, ODIs and T20Is) of the game. Richards meanwhile, is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen ever to play the sport.

'The Little Master' recalled what it was like to play against Richards and stated Kohli also bats like the way the former West Indies talisman used to do. "It was very difficult to keep Viv Richards quiet when he was at the crease," Gavaskar said on Star Sports' show 'Winning the Cup -- 1983'.

"Similarly, if you look at Virat Kohli's batting today, in the same ball and same line, he will use his top hand and score a boundary towards the extra cover region and will use the bottom hand and score a boundary towards the mid-on and mid-wicket region.

"That's why Virat Kohli is considered as the No. 1 player because he bats exactly like Viv Richards. Earlier, Gundappa Vishwanath, V.V.S. Laxman used to bat like this," he added on the show that can be watched on the Star Sports network.

Interestingly, former Australia captain Ian Chappell had also compared Kohli's batting with that of Richards last month and rated the Indian as the best all-format batsman in the current generation.

Last year, Kohli got a chance to interview Richards during India's tour of Caribbean and the latter had said he sees same passion for the game in the Indian skipper that he had during his playing days.

"I always felt I was good enough to be competing and I wanted to express myself in the best way that I can," Richards told Kohli in the video uploaded on BCCI Twitter handle on August 22, 2019.

"I see that little similarity in you and that same passion in you. There are times when folks would look at us and say, 'Wow why are they so angry'."