'He's like a bunny running around' - Virat Kohli heaps praise on Marnus Labuschagne

India skipper Virat Kohli was all praise for Australia latest batting sensation Marnus Labuschagne after the hosts sealed the three-match ODI series on Sunday. Labuschagne arrived in India with a huge reputation after a sensational year in Test cricket. While Labuschagne made his Test debut in 2018, he finally proved his worth in last year’s Ashes when he made it to Australia’s playing after Steve Smith suffered a concussion.

Four fifties on the trot in England made it pretty much clear that the right-handed batsman was a special talent. He then further bolstered his reputation with a stunning display at home against Pakistan and New Zealand. The youngster completely overshadowed his illustrious teammate Steve Smith to emerge Australia’s best performer in the Test season.

In 5 Tests, he scored a staggering 896 runs with the help of 4 tons including a career-best 215 as Australia won all the five Tests. Those performances helped him earn his maiden ODI call-up for the just-concluded series against India and Labuschagne totally justified the decision. After not getting a chance to bat in the first game, he played knocks of 46 and 54 in the other two games to show that he can excel in ODIs too.

Virat Kohli lauds Marnus Labuschagne

With Marnus Labuschagne proving himself in ODIs too, Virat Kohli could not stop himself from heaping praise on the Aussie. The India skipper tipped the youngster for a brighter future and also said that he could do well in T20Is too if given a chance. Virat Kohli was also full of praise for the energy Labuschagne brings on the field.

“Just stay at cover and catch the ball when he hits in the air,” said Kohli jokingly when asked whether he learned anything about the batsman that his team can use on the next tour of Australia before adding: “He’s a quality player. We were talking outside, he’s very sure of what he wants to do. Again, body language, intent, he’s there, he’s running hard between the wickets, he wants the ball (in the field).

“He wants to be in the important positions in the field. He’s got the right mindset to be a consistent player, to be a top player in the world for a while. He’s shown that in Test cricket, he’s shown that in one-day cricket and if he plays T20 cricket, I am sure he’ll show that clarity there as well. He looks like a complete team man. He’s always and always energetic. He’s like a bunny running around,” added Kohli.

'He's like a bunny running around' 🐇 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/BpCOuL3fpy

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 20, 2020