West Indies batting great Sir Viv Richards showered praises on star batter Virat Kohli for a prolific run with the willow at the ongoing ICC World Cup, saying that his mental strength sets him apart from the other batters in the competition.

With 543 runs in eight matches so far, Kohli is India’s highest – and third-highest overall – scorer in the tournament, and will be aiming at reclaiming the top spot when India take on the Netherlands in its final group match on Sunday.

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With two centuries and four fifties to his name in the tournament so far, Kohli has once again shown just why he’s counted among the greatest in modern-day cricket, before stamping the claim by smashing a record-equalling 49th ODI century during India’s match against South Africa.

Calling the 35-year-old Kohli a “credit” to the game, West Indian legend Viv Richards hailed the Indian’s ability to emerge unscathed from the most difficult situations, thanks to his incredible mental strength.

In his column on ICC’s official website, Richards said he has been a fan of Kohli for a long time and the star batter has continued to show why he is one of the all-time greats of the game. The West Indies legend also praised the Indian management for backing Kohli during his rough patch and said it was nice to see him bounce back in such fashion.

“There have been a whole host of talented individuals on show but to top them all, you cannot look past Virat Kohli. I am a huge fan of Virat, I have been for a long time, and he continues to show why he has to go down as one of the all-time greats, right up there with the likes of the great Sachin,” he wrote.

“Virat will have been through some tough times before this World Cup and some folks were even brave enough to call for his head.”

“Credit must be given to the backroom staff and everyone who backed him. So much was said about his form but he is back on top of his game. It is phenomenal to see an individual who has had his low points bouncing back and playing like this. They say form is temporary – and he has certainly proven that class is permanent. I am so happy for him, he looks so focused and he is a credit to the game of cricket,” added Richards.

Kohli went without a century for nearly three years, starting November 2019, and even took a break from the sport before coming back to slam his maiden T20I ton against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year.

Praising the Indian star’s enthusiasm on the field, Richards said, “Virat is a go-getter and what sets him apart is his mental strength. He will have backed himself throughout, and on the occasions in the past in which I have chatted with him and we have discussed things, his mental strength has always been evident. That has been key to pushing him through to how he is playing now. Very few players, or people, are built like that.”

Kohli’s remarkable performances have triggered inevitable comparisons with the legendary ‘Sir Viv’, the charismatic showman from the bygone era. Richards attributes these comparisons to the shared intensity both players brought to the cricket field.

“Many people have made comparisons between the two of us over the years, partly because of our shared intensity on the field. I love Virat’s enthusiasm – even if he is fielding at long-on or long-off, when one of his bowlers hits the pad, he is appealing. He is always in the game and I like individuals like that,” said Richards.