Indian Batsmen with a Midas Touch

By Sunil Sarpal

India has the distinction  of producing batsmen with a magical touch and they conquered  the most difficult of bowlers.  From Gavaskar to Tendulkar and now Virat Kohli.  They have been diamonds with a midas touch.  By merely watching them play, one can learn the art of batting because they are simply a school unto themselves. 

Gavaskar’s technique for batting was derived from the Cricketing Text Book.  His temperament and concentration was second to none.  His shot selection was simply spot on.  His technique was fool proof that he would not leave any room between bat and pad. 

Sachin Tendulkar was more adventurous and his intent was aggressive in nature.  He was considered the God of Cricket by none other  than Mathew Hayden of Australia.  Tendulkar was born to play cricket and touched the height which no other batsman did.  Tendulkar played his game in two phases.  When he came into test cricket, he was very aggressive and could hit even four boundaries in one over on a regular basis.  A lot of people and even cricketers idolised him and studied his game to learn the art of batting.  Sachin notched up a 100 tons in all formats of the game which is a very formidable task to accomplish. 

Now Virat Kohli has picked up the gauntlet.  He is beating one record after another at regular intervals.  Virat’s game is stylised in such a manner that he has become much more stable and assured.  His cover drive is perfection personified.  The longevity of a career largely depends upon how one adjusts with the given conditions and matches the situation.  Perhaps Virat Kohli  knows the art of adjustment more than anybody else.  Virat is supremely fit and agile even at the age of 36 yrs.  His running between the wickets is just like a 20 years old player.  He gives a lot of time to exercise and to remain match fit.  Virat is inching towards the 100 tons milestone set by Sachin and in all likelihood Virat will surpass this record in style and set new numbers for the next generation. 

India’s legacy of producing one batsman after another to conquer the world is unique.  Who is going to be the next class act is a million dollar question ?