Virat Kohli named Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World for 2016

BeautifulGame · April 6, 2017

ack in July 2011, Virat Kohli spoke of his desire to become the batsman India's opposition "need to get out". It sounded an ambitious claim: he had just flopped in his maiden Test series, in the Caribbean, where he had been worked over by Fidel Edwards, and was left out of the squad for the subsequent tour of England.

Fast-forward to 2016, and Kohli was very much the man the opposition needed to get out. They just couldn't fathom how. No matter where they bowled, he seemed to have an answer. In a year when the Indian economy experienced more bumps than an autorickshaw ride, his stock rose steadily, with the odd dramatic spike. And his eventual figures were eye-popping.

In all three genres, Kolhi averaged more than anyone: 75 in Tests, 92 in one-dayers and a phenomenal 106 in Twenty20 internationals. His 51-ball unbeaten 82 at Mohali to send Australia home from the World T20 in March was one of the limited-overs performances of the year, typifying his Mastery of the chase. In 13 Twenty20 innings for India, he was undefeated seven times, and scored seven half-centuries. And by the end of 2016, his career average in all three formats was over 50. It needed something special to outshine team-mate and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was taking wickets by the bucketload and scoring useful runs too - but Kohli managed it.

For the full article http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/1090029.html

Fully deserved :hatsoff: