Kohli will leave his mark on T20 cricket: Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene in his playing days was a batsman par excellence. Having announced his retirement in the past year, the former Sri Lankan skipper has become the latest to laud the approach of 27-year old Indian batsman Virat Kohli.

Jayawardene who happens to be the batting consultant for the England cricket team has stated that Kohli is an old fashioned player who banks on patience to score his runs. The Indian Test skipper added a new dimension to this T20 prowess courtesy of his amazing fitness and ability to run the twos even during the latter stages of the innings.

“He’s still an old fashioned player but he plays patiently,” said the 38-year-old, who was the chief guest at the Shyam Bhatia Cricket Awards in Dubai on Thursday.

He also added that the effectiveness of Virat Kohli is almost as good as that of a power hitter in T20 cricket. He also added that it would be wrong to compare players from different generations stating that players have talent and perform when it matters.

“He’s showing in his own way that he can be as good as any power hitter. He’s very effective and I think that’s brilliant. I really enjoyed watching him in the World T20 in tough conditions and in under pressure situations. Right now, he’s definitely one of the top three batsmen in the world, if not, the best.”

He added: “We shouldn’t compare generations. Sachin has been fantastic for his generation and Kohli will leave a legacy of his generation. Kohli’s generation starts now and he will now turn into a man. I am sure he will leave a legacy and mark.”

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