(Image source: X.com)
[Saba Sports News] Former England captain Michael Vaughan compared Virat Kohli to Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi. This comparison has been drawn as Kohli like Messi is scripting a World Cup triumph.
Kohli, aged 36, has achieved an impressive average of 118 in the World Cup 2023, having played five innings so far. He has accumulated 354 runs, including one century against Bangladesh and three fifties versus Australia, Afghanistan and New Zealand.
Notably, Kohli is just one century away from reaching the record of 49 ODI hundreds held by the India legend Sachin Tendulkar. Interestingly, Vaughan recently stated that he would not be surprised if Delhi-born batter completes his 50th ODI hundred on the day of the World Cup 2023 final.
“Virat Kohli in the chase, there’s no one better. It wouldn’t surprise me if he gets a 49th (century) before the final, and his 50th in the final. It’s written in the stars,” said Vaughan on the ‘Club Prairie Fire’ podcast.
Furthermore, Vaughan also acknowledged that just as Messi led Argentina to trophy in the FIFA World Cup 2022, Kohli is carrying Team India towards their third ODI World Cup title.
“I actually put it on social media – great, great players always arrive in World Cups. It defines their legacies. Look at the footballers, Lionel Messi had to win the World Cup for Argentina, and he did it. Virat has already won a World Cup but you just feel he’s going to drive the Indian team all the way,” Vaughan added.
Vaughan continued to praise India for their extraordinary performance in the ongoing quadrennial tournament, where the Men in Blue have comfortably won all of their matches held so far.
“I’d love to know how they (India) can be stopped. I can’t see it at the minute. Yes, you can get early wickets. But the pitches aren’t going to do much. How are you going to get them 3-4 down quickly? Aussies were the closest to surprise them when they got three out early in Chennai, but I don’t see how anyone will get close to them,” Vaughan concluded.
India will next face England on October 29 in Lucknow.