Is Kohli the greatest ever clutch player amongst greats ?

[New guy]

2 hours ago, rangeelaraja said:

 

I don't think its as one sided as you are saying. They have been really really tight matches.

 

They bundled us out for 119 in T20 WC in NY and choked - we all but lost --https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2024-1411166/india-vs-pakistan-19th-match-group-a-1415719/full-scorecard

 

It took a freak Virat Kohli innings when 28 were needed of 8 for us to win  --https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2022-23-1298134/india-vs-pakistan-16th-match-group-2-1298150/full-scorecard

 

And then an extraordinary innings by Tilak Verma for us to win the Asia Cup 2025 when we were down in the dumps. 

 

We are definitely way way stronger but to say that the matches are no competition is not true.

 

They have given us many frights and close games. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tight matches doesn't show how strong either team is. Its who wins in the end which matter.

 

Aussie team under Waugh and later Ponting are considered goats teams in ODIs and tests but that doesn't mean they never had close games.

 

Aussies greatest world cup win (Steve waugh was captain) was when they tied with chokers South Africa and went through in net run rate. 

 

Aussies needed a 200 from gillespie to win a test against Bangladesh 

 

Aussies needed karman to drop many chances after they were 9 down to win a home test against Pakistan.

 

Aussies needed a special from Hussey to win a lost game against pak in wt20 semi final.

 

There are many more. More than crushing teams (like 2003 final or 1999 final), Aussies were known to win matches from impossible situations. Even against minnows. 

 

Being a much better team doesn't mean not having close matches or never getting frights, it means you win from any situation in the end.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2025 by New guy

[Vilander]

4 hours ago, Gollum said:

We would have failed to chase 80 odd in 2016 Asia Cup if not for Kohli. Indians must understand the Pawkee mentality, they don't mind losing to other teams but against India, it is like jihad for them (Imran Khan used said the same expression in a post-match in 80s, Mushtaq Mohd in 1978).....for them a tournament is a success if they beat India and lose all other games, failure if they lose to India but end up winning the event. We will always have a target on our backs when it comes to playing them, like jihadis they have to succeed only once against us, but we have to beat them every time, 'nothing to lose' vs 'everything to lose'. 

It’s way more very easy to create BS while It takes lot of effort to disprove BS. Same logic applies here. India should deflate this, it means nothing more than statistical probability if India looses a few games against Pak.

[Vilander]

10 hours ago, Lord said:

 

Not equating anyway. We 'hate' them due to their actions only. 

Good so allow me to rephrase you. 
 

“Pak is a poor team, we rate our player performances agains them as a reaction to their display of hate for India”

[KV244]

Kohli is not clutch player in test. But in ODI and T20 he is.

[Gollum]

20 hours ago, New guy said:

Tight matches doesn't show how strong either team is. Its who wins in the end which matter.

 

Aussies greatest world cup win (Steve waugh was captain) was when they tied with chokers South Africa and went through in net run rate. 

To be fair to RSA, they weren't seen as chokers in 99. Were fresh from 98 mini WC win, Cronje had the aura of a champion. And they played Aussies close in 90s, statistically IIRC the best ODI team in mid-late 90s just ahead of Aussies. Aus took off from the middle of 1999 campaign and were undisputed best for the next 10 years, till 2009 CT. 

 

I still feel that had Cronje stayed clean, RSA would have been a thorn for Aussies in early 2000s, and this choking tag would have been buried.  

Edited October 8, 2025 by Gollum

[deathmonger]

On 10/7/2025 at 11:41 AM, Gollum said:

At least in T20Is, it is a lot closer. From 2008 to circa 2013 they were a superior T20I team, aided no less by their chuckers Ajmal, Hafeez, Malik. They won 2009 WC, lost 2010 SF due to a freak Hussey knock, 2012 SFists. Again from 2019 to 22 they were better, and we were at our worst due to toothless bowling and an outdated batting template, poor captaincy/tactics. They would have won 2021 WC if not for Aussies.  

Yeah ODI peeled away post KulCha post 2017 CT. T20s peeled away after 22 exit and new team.

[deathmonger]

On 10/7/2025 at 11:08 AM, rangeelaraja said:

 

I don't think its as one sided as you are saying. They have been really really tight matches.

 

They bundled us out for 119 in T20 WC in NY and choked - we all but lost --https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2024-1411166/india-vs-pakistan-19th-match-group-a-1415719/full-scorecard

 

It took a freak Virat Kohli innings when 28 were needed of 8 for us to win  --https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-men-s-t20-world-cup-2022-23-1298134/india-vs-pakistan-16th-match-group-2-1298150/full-scorecard

 

And then an extraordinary innings by Tilak Verma for us to win the Asia Cup 2025 when we were down in the dumps. 

 

We are definitely way way stronger but to say that the matches are no competition is not true.

 

They have given us many frights and close games. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is not the same tbh.

 

Great knock but pitch was not on the level of the others. As long as India didn't commit suicide and played normally they would win and they did.

 

None of the wickets were lbws or caught behinds, all mistimed hits.

 

Also 47 off 5 with 5 wickets and Rinku/Axar still in - India had won by then.

[Chaos]

In odis n t20s he was a clutch player. But in finals of 2016? t20 against wi he played amazing knock but our trundlers were unable to defend 200 score against them

[jf1gp_1]

I watched a bit of Kohli batting in 2nd odi.  Reminded me of Kohli at his peak when he dominated bowlers. He was brilliant.

[mikeypbadana86]

pady upton the former mental conditioning coach attributed clutch performance of any player is related to "staying in the moment of the game and playing the ball on merit" which is called being in a zone which does not happen or the preassure does not let this happen to great players.

 

I think, kohli by far the best clutch batter india produced.Number of t20 and odi clutch innings he played albiet the team let him down not winning at times.

 

2011 ODI world cup final . Knock of 35, small contribution but vital in final

2013 champions trophy final. top scorer in a rain curtailed match

2014 t20 semis. Winning knock of 70 odd against South africa

2014 t20 final. 50+ in a losing cause

2016 t20 must win quarter final famous 82 against Aus

2016 t20 final. 89 odd against WI. Ashwin bowled two no balls which costed us the final. 

2017 champions trophy semis against BL.  50+ 

2022 t20 world cup against PAK famous kohli goes out of the ground. 82+ against PAK 

2023 ODI world cup semis. 100 against NZ

2023 ODI final. 54 against AUS. could have gone on to score 100 but for unfortunate inside edge dismissal.

 

Notable failures:

2019  worldcup semis against NZ . Unfortunate umpires call dismissal 

2015 ODI semis. failure.

2017 champions trophy failure.

 

out of 13 key moments, he delivered 10 times. i do not recall an other modern gate who holds similar record in knock outs/clutch matches.

 

Definetly kohli can be in zone in crucial games which is not easy for many.

 

[mikeypbadana86]

8 minutes ago, mikeypbadana86 said:

pady upton the former mental conditioning coach attributed clutch performance of any player is related to "staying in the moment of the game and playing the ball on merit" which is called being in a zone which does not happen or the preassure does not let this happen to great players.

 

I think, kohli by far the best clutch batter india produced.Number of t20 and odi clutch innings he played albiet the team let him down not winning at times.

 

2011 ODI world cup final . Knock of 35, small contribution but vital in final

2013 champions trophy final. top scorer in a rain curtailed match

2014 t20 semis. Winning knock of 70 odd against South africa

2014 t20 final. 50+ in a losing cause

2016 t20 must win quarter final famous 82 against Aus

2016 t20 final. 89 odd against WI. Ashwin bowled two no balls which costed us the final. 

2017 champions trophy semis against BL.  50+ 

2022 t20 world cup against PAK famous kohli goes out of the ground. 82+ against PAK 

2023 ODI world cup semis. 100 against NZ

2023 ODI final. 54 against AUS. could have gone on to score 100 but for unfortunate inside edge dismissal.

 

Notable failures:

2019  worldcup semis against NZ . Unfortunate umpires call dismissal 

2015 ODI semis. failure.

2017 champions trophy failure.

 

out of 13 key moments, he delivered 10 times. i do not recall an other modern gate who holds similar record in knock outs/clutch matches.

 

Definetly kohli can be in zone in crucial games which is not easy for many.

 

For got to add 2024 t20 final knock against SA

2025 ODI champions trophy semi final knock against Australia.

[mikeypbadana86]

Just now, mikeypbadana86 said:

For got to add 2024 t20 final knock against SA

2025 ODI champions trophy semi final knock against Australia.

That makes out of 15 clutch moments, kohli delivered on 12

[Chakdephatte]

There is a thread on Kohli the greatest clutch player. And another thread on is there any player who came than Kohli in big matches. People think in extremes only. 

[putrevus]

On 10/7/2025 at 2:06 AM, Gollum said:

This is the match I am talking about, again in BD where 4 years earlier he scored that famous 183 to chase down 330 against their chuckers. 

 

If not for Kohli, Pak would have won 4-5 more games against us in the 2013-24 period. Noise pollution would have been 10x worse. 

Even with 85 runs to defend the Pakistani bowlers fought like anything.Can we say the same thing when India is defending small totals.

 

 

[Trichromatic]

8 hours ago, putrevus said:

Even with 85 runs to defend the Pakistani bowlers fought like anything.Can we say the same thing when India is defending small totals.

 

 

 

Even our greatest bowler Bumrah gives up at times in adverse situations.