Virat Kohli Named The Greatest Batsman By Former World Cup Winner Before Champions Trophy 2025

The former Indian left-arm spin all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has backed Virat Kohli to carry his old form and rhythm during the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, starting on February 19, despite his tough period in the last few months across formats.

Kohli hasn’t played an ODI game at the Dubai International Stadium, India’s venue for all of their games in the event, till they survive. The former Indian captain missed the 2018 Asia Cup as he took a break before the long England all-format series.

Virat Kohli’s recent record in international cricket

The Delhi-born had a tough time in the last few series across all three formats. He smashed just 93 runs in six innings at an average of 15.50, shouldering on just one half-century during the three-match home Test series against New Zealand at home.

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His struggle perished for a little period as he thumped a fine century during the opening clash of the five-match Test series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. But Virat Kohli failed to stretch the good job for the last four Tests.

The veteran finished with just 191 runs in nine innings at an average of 23.75, thanks to the best score of an unbeaten 100 runs. He missed the first of the three-match ODI series against England at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur due to a neck injury before returning to the last two games to celebrate a half-century at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Kohli struggled in the last five ODI innings from 2024, with just 115 runs in just five innings.

Yuvraj Singh supports Virat Kohli to find form before Champions Trophy

The former Indian left-arm spinner, Yuvraj Singh, has backed the veteran batter despite his low scores in the last few games in international cricket. He reckoned that if a player goes on playing for 15 to 16 years, then his numbers would fly up and down.

“See, I call him King Kohli, and he has been one of the greatest batters for a long time. And as far as the form is concerned, that goes up and down in the career of nearly 15 to 16 years. But you should follow his graph. In our generation, Virat Kohli is the best player across all formats. There is no comparison.” Yuvraj Singh expressed this during a recent interaction on Star Sports.

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During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Virat Kohli finished as the leading run-getter with 765 runs in 11 innings at an average of 95.61 and a strike rate of nearly 90, shouldering on six half-centuries and three centuries at the best score of 117 runs.

Virat Kohli seeks developed performance in ICC Champions Trophy 2025

In the history of the event, the right-handed batter has cracked 529 runs in 12 innings at an average of 88.16 and a strike rate of 92.32, thanks to five half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 96 runs.

Virat Kohli will be eager to make truck-loaded runs in the event. His performance in the ODIs against all the opponents in the group is quite inspiring. He has managed 910 runs in 16 innings at 75.83 against Bangladesh, while 678 runs in 16 innings at an average of 52.15 have come against Pakistan.

The Delhi batter has celebrated 1645 runs in 31 ODI innings against the Blackcaps at an average of 58.75, thanks to nine fifties and six centuries at the best score of unbeaten 154 runs.