“I have rated him as the best Indian batter ever” – Navjot Sidhu hails Virat Kohli ahead of IPL 2024

Former Indian batter Navjot Singh Sidhu has tipped Virat Kohli as the best Indian batter ever. Kohli has been a consistent performer over the years in all three formats of the game. After missing the five-match Test series against England due to a personal reason, Kohli will return to action in the upcoming Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore, now officially renamed Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli scored 639 runs for the franchise in the previous season but the team failed to qualify for the playoffs as they finished in sixth place with seven wins and as many losses.

“I have rated him as the best Indian batter ever. There are eras where I would put up my transistor and listen to Sunil Gavaskar bat against the West Indies, those are the 70s. He dominated for almost 15-20 years. Then came Tendulkar, another era. Then came Dhoni, and then came Virat. If you look at the four, I would rate him (Kohli) as the best because he has adapted to all three formats,” said Sidhu while speaking to India Today.

Sidhu, who will return to commentary for the upcoming IPL, added that Kohli’s fitness and longevity holds him in good stead.

“In the same way, his technical ability and the fittest of all of them. If you look at all four, he would be the fittest. Tendulkar had problems in the latter stage of his career. Dhoni, he is fit. Virat is super fit. That holds him in good stead. It elevates him to a level, a few notches higher, that others have not been able to achieve. The longevity factor gives him a plus. The adaptability factor is Sone Pe Suhaaga,” added Sidhu.

Kohli has amassed more than 26000 International runs, including 80 centuries. Sidhu added Kohli’s batting position should depend on the team’s demands in the upcoming season.

“In the same way, his technical ability and the fittest of all of them. If you look at all four, he would be the fittest. Tendulkar had problems in the latter stage of his career. Dhoni, he is fit. Virat is super fit. That holds him in good stead. It elevates him to a level, a few notches higher, that others have not been able to achieve. The longevity factor gives him a plus. The adaptability factor is Sone Pe Suhaaga,” added Sidhu.

IPL 2024 will begin on March 22 with RCB taking on defending champions CSK at Chennai.