Kohli’s record in finishing game is incredible: Jonty Rhodes
   Date :28-May-2019

 
Staff Reporter:
 
Former South African Test cricketer Jonathan Neil Rhodes, nick named Jonty Rhodes, is all praise of Indian cricket Captain Virat Kohli’s hunger for run and his confident batting. “Virat Kohli is different Captain from MS Dhoni. He is the man who is not just satisfied with the scores, so it is never about the scores for him as he wants to be in a game till the end. Look at his record, Kohli’s record in finishing game for India is incredible. He is certainly a player who likes to lead from the front which is fine when you are a Captain of the side. He is under pressure to perform because that’s the way he likes to lead the team,” Rhodes said. Besides, he is also a fan of run machine Hardik Pandya and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who have left deep imprint in cricket in a short time. Rhodes was in State capital to participate in a programme organised to launch a protein product on Monday.
 
‘The Hitavada’ reporter spoke to him on the sidelines of programme. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’, he said “There is no one in my favourite list of cricketers in this World Cup, but if asked in the Indian team, so I am a big fan of rockstar Hardik Pandya. It must be good to see him progress. Besides, I have very close connection with Mumbai Indians over nine seasons. The incredible thing is that how quickly Jasprit Bumrah has grown up in his career. When he came, Malinga was his mentor and within a season he replaced him thus, he is young fast bowler with good brain.” Responding to the absence of AB DeVilliers in the South Africa team, Jonty Rhodes said “No one can replace AB DeVilliers in the team. It could be hard to think to even imagine South Africa without him.
 
Africa really knows that he is not there in the team. He has certainly made a massive difference to the batting line-up. As he has retired so the team will prepare with another side. Player Quinton De Kock and Fuf Du Plessis are consistent in batting but from rest of the team’s side the batting is uncertain.” Speaking about improved fielding of Indian cricketers, he said that it will definitely bring positive change in performance. When asked that earlier he used to be adjudged as best fielder and now according to him who could be the best fielder on field, he said “I just had to field on the backward point, according to that perspective it was easy to be the best fielder.
 
Now, you have to be all-round fielder. If asked about best fielder today then it would be Suresh Raina but he is not in the team for this World Cup. Ravindra Jadeja is also good and quick fielder.” In his message to budding cricketers, he told that “there is no short cut to success and it’s not only about hard work but also one should be passionate enough to achieve the set goal.”