England’s legendary pacer James Anderson has shared who he considers as the greatest finisher in white-ball cricket.
Heaped praise on India’s Virat Kohli, Anderson highlighted the star batter’s exceptional record when it comes to chasing down targets, noting that his performances in such situations are unparalleled.
“I do not know if there is been a better batter in the history of the game batting second and chasing down scores than Virat Kohli. His record at chasing is absolutely phenomenal. The number of hundreds he has scored in the second innings, chasing down scores is ridiculous,” Anderson said.
Kohli’s numbers in white-ball cricket back up Anderson’s claims.
The Indian batter has scored 7,852 runs in run chases at an impressive average of 64.36, including 27 centuries and 40 fifties.
Anderson also praised Kohli’s mentality and self-belief, which he believes play a crucial role in the Indian batter’s success.
“It is no surprise that when he gets in that situation, with his mentality, it is just like it is meant to be. His self-belief is so high,” he further added.
However, when asked if he considers Kohli the greatest white-ball batter of all time, Anderson was hesitant to give a definitive answer.
Instead, he mentioned Australian cricketer Michael Bevan, known for his finishing abilities in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“I cannot say that. I was thinking more in terms of just chasing. Michael Bevan from Australia comes to my mind, particularly in the late 1990s and early 2000s – he was just phenomenal coming in at number six and doing that job,” he stated.
Anderson pointed out that while Bevan was known for getting crucial 50s and 60s, Kohli is renowned for scoring big hundreds to secure wins for his team.
“Kohli batting at number 3 gets those hundreds while Bevan was renowned for getting his 50s, 60s and being at the end, while Kohli gets the big score, to get his teams over the line. I honestly can’t think of a better finisher and greater white-ball players than him (Kohli),” he concluded.
