Don’t know for how many people the 2016 went lucky or not, but for one man it was definitely the most productive year in international cricket and that is Virat Kohli. A total of 2595 runs at an average of 86.50 spread over 37 matches and 41 innings, he aggravated more runs than any batsman in 2016 and is the 2nd Indian with most runs in a calendar year behind Rahul Dravid’s tally of 2626 in 1999.
They say at the age of 27-28 sports players hit their prime form and that has been the same with Virat Kohli. He started the year with scoring 381 @ 76.20 in the Australian ODI series and ended the year with 655 @ 109.16 in the England Test series. Let us have a go by looking at those numbers he amazed and scaled in this year.
Australian ODI
series:
5 matches, 5 innings, 0
Not-Outs, 381 runs, 2x100s, 2x50s, HS 117, Avg 76.20 (91,59,117,106,8)
Australian T20
series:
3 matches, 3 innings,
2 Not-Outs, 199 runs, 3x50s, HS 90*, Avg 199.00
(90*,59*,50)
The
T20 series that continued probably brought the best out of Kohli in Australia
as he was dismissed only once throughout the series, and being the chief
architect for the 3-0 clean sweep in Australia. His love affair with Adelaide
continued as he brought up his highest T20 score in the ground and continued it
59* and 50 in the series and was also the MoS.
Asia Cup 2016:
5 matches, 4 innings, 2
Not-Outs, 153 runs, 1x50, HS 56*, Avg 76.50
(7,49,56*,41*)
A
small-break was that Kohli needed to recharge for the Asia Cup and played a
crucial knock against Arch-rivals Pakistan in a green top against an in-form
Md. Amir. After that he played 2 more important knocks against the SL and BAN
in the final and India won the Asia Cup 2016 and took forward the form and
momentum into the T20 World Cup.
T20 World Cup 2016:
5 matches, 5 innings, 3
Not-Outs, 273 runs, 3x50s, HS 89*, Avg 136.50
(23,55*24,82*,89*)
If the
2003 World Cup belonged to Sachin, this World Cup belonged to Kohli. He could
probably do nothing wrong and showcased two one-man shows against Pakistan and
Australia. He started with an average show against the Kiwis, back to his best
against Pakistan, average again vs Bangladesh and against Australia when we
needed a win, he was just flowing and was that one-wicket which Australia would
have been happy to get on the path of victory. He stood between Australia and
victory pulled it off and placed India in the Semi-finals. In the semi-finals
against West-Indies he almost did everything to pull off a win, even coming to
bowl and taking a wicket. He was the MoS for the second consecutive time in the
T20 World Cup.
West-Indies Test
series:
4 matches, 4 innings, 0
Not-Outs, 251 runs, 1x100, HS 200, Avg 62.75
(200,44,3,4)
His
first overseas tour as a full-time captain and he brought it up in style by
notching up his maiden 200 against the West Indies (maiden in FC also). Apart
from that he had a below-par outing with the bat and the change in batting
order with him playing at 1 drop did not help much as he accumulated only 51
runs from the rest 3 innings.
West-Indies T20
series:
2 matches, 1 inning, 0
Not-Outs, 16 runs, HS 16, Avg 16
(16)
A
not-so forgettable match for the Indian fans but a normal outing for him as he
perished to the asking rate.
New Zealand Test
series:
3 matches, 6 innings, 0
Not-Outs, 309 runs, 1x100, HS 211, Avg 51.50
(9,18,9,45,211,17)
A
series full of historical landmarks. India’s 500th Test and 250th
Home Test and all. Having started poorly and New Zealand bowlers aiming to take
his wicket using the short-ball strategy, he fell for it early in the series
but came back strongly in the 3rd test scoring a double hundred and
a 365-run stand with the deputy Rahane.
New Zealand ODI
series:
5 matches, 5 innings, 2
Not-Outs, 358 runs, 1x100, 2x50s, HS 154*, Avg 119.33 (85*,9,154*,45,65)
Cometh
the limited overs, cometh the form. Again, was at his free-flowing best in the
coloured jersey and the two poor outings only resulted in Indian losses while
in the other 3 where he scored twice he made sure he was there till the end to
finish the match and ensured an Indian win.
England Test series:
5 matches, 8 innings, 2
Not-Outs, 655 runs, 2x100s, 2x50s, HS 235, Avg 109.16 (40,49*,167,81,62,6*,235,15)
Perfectly
answered series to those who were waiting to criticize him for his past failure
in England series. Carried the form he had in the one-day into the tests and
scored runs consistently and notched up centuries and half-centuries. Scored 81
runs when team around him were failing (81/204). Scored a 235 the highest ever
by a Indian skipper in the Wankhede test and proved that the the year 2016
belonged to him by topping the run charts and finishing the year as the Top 2
player in all formats of the game and the only player to average 50+ in all
forms of international cricket.
IPL 2016:
16 matches, 16 innings,
4 Not-Outs, 973 runs, 4x100s, 7x50s, HS 113, Avg 81.08 (75,79,33,80,100*,14,52,108*,20,7,109,75*,113,54*,0,54)
Apart
from amassing 2595 international runs, he also had a dream-run in the IPL 2016,
aggregating 973 runs in 16 matches, the most by any player across seasons, the
second best being 200+ runs apart (733 by Gayle and M Hussey). He scored 4
100s, the most by any player in a single tournament, single-handedly took RCB
to the play-offs where the digital board aptly said “RCB KOHLI-FIED TO THE
PLAYOFFS” and the only thing he missed again in the kitty was the tournament
cup as RCB lost in the finals by 8 runs to SRH.
As Captain (INDIA): Played 12 Won 9 Draw 3 Lost 0
As an
Indian Captain, also he had one of the best years not losing a single match in
the calendar year though only was a close encounter in which he stayed till the
end and pulled off a draw (vs ENG, Rajkot). Also in the process, he took India
to the No.1 Rank in the Test Matches and India stayed there till the year end.
Twice he took some brave decisions of declaring on the last day against WI and
bundling them for 108 and just more than a day against ENG in Chennai and
dismissing them for 207. Wonder if he repeats his stats when he becomes the
visiting captain after the long-home series.
And to
those who wonder seeing these stats, there is another thing for you guys… He
missed 9 of India’s International fixtures. 3 T20s vs SL, 3 ODIs vs ZIM and 3
T20s vs ZIM… Wondering where these numbers would have ended up if he were a
part of those fixtures also…
With
this rich vein of form, let us wait and watch what happens in 2017… whether he
continues to amaze us or have a dip just like all the players have once in
their career…
Guha Karthikeyan S T
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