"He's not tied down to an image": Sunil Gavaskar lauds Virat Kohli's mindset as he continues his brilliant form in ODI cricket

Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 19 (ANI): Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar praises India's star batter Virat Kohli's mindset, saying he's not tied to an image and focuses on scoring runs.
Gavaskar believes Kohli adapts his game according to the situation, sometimes starting cautiously and other times attacking early. This flexibility and never-give-up attitude make him consistent.
Kohli's hundred in the third and final ODI went in vain as New Zealand recorded their first-ever ODI series win in India and had to wait 37 years to achieve the feat after the visitors sealed a 2-1 series win with a 41-run victory over Shubman Gill and Co. at Indore on Sunday.
"The thing about him is that he's not tied down to an image. A lot of batters and bowlers are constrained by how they're perceived, and they feel they must live up to that image. Virat isn't like that. He's tied to the job at hand, and that job is to score runs. Sometimes, that means starting watchfully and then opening up. Sometimes, it means attacking early and then spreading the field and picking up ones and twos. He's not governed by expectations of how he should play. That temperament is the key. He doesn't think, 'I'm expected to hit a six.' He plays according to the situation. He never gives up. Even till the end, he was trying. Perhaps the gloves got a bit sweaty, and the grip went slightly, which is why the bat face turned, and he was caught near the boundary ropes. For youngsters, that's the biggest lesson, don't live up to an image. Play the situation, and you'll be far more consistent than you ever imagined, " Sunil Gavaskar said on JioStar.
Gavaskar also lauded Harshit Rana's lower-order batting, saying he played without worry or expectations, focusing on swinging the bat. Gavaskar felt Rana's calm and aggressive approach allowed him to capitalise on good deliveries and didn't let earlier failures get to him, even with Kohli at the other end.
"It was a very good innings by Harshit Rana. He batted exactly like a lower-order batter should, without worry and without expectations. He knew his job was to swing the bat. If he connected, great, if not, no worries. There were short balls he tried to slice but didn't quite get hold of, and that didn't frustrate him. He understood that if you pitch it up, he can hammer it, and if you bowl it halfway down where the ball is coming nicely, he can hit you for a six. That's exactly what he did. What impressed me was that Harshit didn't get hassled by earlier failures, especially with someone like Virat Kohli at the other end. How many people get the opportunity to bat with a Kohli or a Tendulkar? You want to savour every moment and stay there as long as you can. At the end of the over, when such great players talk to you, maybe say 'keep going' or 'that was a good shot', those are memories you carry for life," Gavaskar added.
Kohli's incredible 124 in 108 balls and his counter-attacking 99-run stand with half-centurion Rana dazzled the crowd, but in chase of 338 runs, India was left 41 runs short of a win at Indore.
Rana once again showcased his batting skills, smashing 52 runs of just 43 balls, including 4 sixes and fours each. (ANI)