Virat Kohli is set to play his 300th ODI on Sunday, and New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips said the Indian batting icon’s “legacy” will shine through the years while “inspiring” generations of young cricketers. Kohli will become the seventh Indian player to achieve the feat after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Rahul Dravid, Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh. “Obviously, he’s an incredible player. And to know him a little bit personally myself is awesome,” said Phillips, who once played alongside Kohli at IPL side Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
“He’s an incredibly hard worker, and what he’s done for the sport, but also for Indian cricket and also people coming through the game as youngsters now is absolutely fantastic,” he said on Saturday, ahead of New Zealand’s Champions Trophy clash against India.
The Kiwi all-rounder said playing 300 ODIs in modern-day cricket where emphasis has shifted to T20s is a massive achievement.
“I think his legacy going forward will be remembered for a long time, inspiring a lot of people. And 300 ODIs, that’s a big feat, especially in today’s age, where one-day cricket isn’t played as often as it used to be. So, it’s really cool for him,” he added.
Phillips hoped that senior pro Kane Williamson too would join Kohli in run-making ways sooner than later.
Kohli made an exceptional hundred against Pakistan to show his readiness for the big event, but Williamson is yet to fire in the tournament.
“Then there’s your point. Obviously he (Williamson) scored 130-odd – not out there (against South Africa in the recent tri-series), and he scored 60, and then he scored 40-odd, so I don’t think he has a problem,” he added.
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