'Dealt with it like a champion' - Salman Butt lauds Virat Kohli after match-winning half-century against Australia

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was left impressed with Indian stalwart Virat Kohli after he played a sensational innings against Australia. Kohli guided the Men in Blue to a win the third T20I, scoring a 48-ball 63 in the series decider.

Butt outlined the issues the Indian batter must have faced in his recent outings before making his comeback. Kohli seemed out of form for a while that raised many eyebrows regarding his spot in the team. 

However, it appears that he has regained confidence and is back in form. Butt also highlighted how Kohli took on Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa despite having been dismissed by him on numerous occasions.

Salman Butt highlights on Virat Kohli’s recent outings

The right-handed batter endured two back-to-back poor performances that put him on the backfoot as he scored 2 and 11 in the first two matches againsr Australia. Despite the pressure, Kohli rose to the occasion in the final match and played a knock that proved to be vital for the side.

"Virat Kohli anchored the innings really well. His return to form is a great sign for Indian cricket. He is taking the innings deep and can afford to do that as there are other players like Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya in the middle order," Butt said on his YouTube channel.

"He usually gets out to Adam Zampa, but he hit him for a massive six this time. He hit a very crucial six in  the final over under pressure. He had to face Zampa, who has proved very successful against him in the past. He would have been under a lot of pressure, but dealt with it like a champion," he added.

With Kohli’s scintillating half-century in the series-decider, the Indian team management will be happy as the T20 World Cup is on the horizon.