Virat Kohli impressed former Indian coach Ravi Shastri with his performance during the match against New Zealand in Auckland. Shastri called Kohli the greatest player in the history of baseball cricket, noting that Kohli retains the same sharpness, class, and physical condition in his game.
Furthermore, Shastri stated that Kohli is still capable of delivering outstanding results in Tests, and his decision to decline them disappointed even Shastri himself.
In the first ODI against New Zealand, Kohli played a powerful innings, scoring 74 runs off 51 balls, including 13 fours and one six. India needed 186 runs, and although Rohit Sharma retired early, the partnership between Shubman Gill and Kohli brought in 113 runs for the second wicket, strengthening India's position.
The pitch at Eden Park offered good bounce and movement for New Zealand's fast bowlers, creating difficulties for the Indian batsmen. However, it seemed to Kohli that the character of the field was different. He managed to understand the conditions, test the bowlers, and attack in his own style.
Ravi Shastri was particularly impressed by this aspect of Kohli's game. In an interview with Sony Sports, he noted that playing with such ease and confidence under these conditions is not easy. Shastri said: 'I believe that in these circumstances, Kohli played one of the best innings of his career. Playing with such ease and confidence on this type of pitch, without making a single mistake, is not easy. Among the brilliant innings he has played over the last seven, eight or ten years, this is one of them. He took the game to a completely new level. For everyone else, it was a different pitch, and great players do exactly that.'
After this, Shastri named Kohli the greatest player in baseball cricket.
The specialty of Kohli's innings was not only the 74 runs but also how he constantly kept New Zealand's bowlers under pressure. Initially, the extra bounce from Kyle Jamieson also troubled him. Kohli did not rush and took time to understand the situation, scoring 29 runs off 27 balls. When the game resumed after the rain, his style changed: he reached a half-century in just 35 balls. After this, his reaction to short balls from Blair Tickner was spectacular. Tickner bowled three consecutive short balls in one over, and Kohli sent all three to the boundary.
Shastri also pointed out another characteristic of Kohli's game. In his opinion, Kohli puts pressure on bowlers not only through fours and sixes but also through his quick running between wickets. He said: 'He targets the first or second ball in the over, and then changes his shot, taking a single. He is such a good runner between the wickets that it puts constant pressure on the bowler. The bowler does not get full six or five chances to play. He hits two fours, changes his shot, and watches the other batsman.'
This, according to Shastri, is the biggest strength of Kohli's game. He knows how to stabilize the innings when necessary and, when given the opportunity, change the pace and attack the bowlers. He did the same in Auckland.
Virat Kohli shocked the cricket world by announcing his withdrawal from Test cricket during IPL 2025. Prior to this, his performance in the Australian tour had not met expectations. Nevertheless, Shastri believes that Kohli's physical condition and level of play allow him to continue demonstrating his mastery in Tests.
Shastri stated: 'Ask any of the leading international players in the world, they will say they want Kohli to play Tests. There is no doubt that he will still perform well. His fitness level is so high that everything seems easy. He doesn't need to exert extra effort for this. It is a result of his muscle memory and dedication. It is something special.'
Former All-rounder Scott Styris of New Zealand also expressed disappointment over Kohli's decision to step away from Test cricket. He noted that despite playing in only one international format, Kohli remains among the best batsmen in the world.
Styris said that spectators remained at the stadium in Auckland even during the rain because they knew it might be the last chance to see Kohli batting at Eden Park. He added that spectators would come to ODI matches in New Zealand hoping to see this great player.
In 2026, Kohli's bat brings many runs. After the 74-run innings against New Zealand in the first ODI, he scored 626 runs in 10 ODIs this calendar year. His average stands at 69.55, and his strike rate is 120.61. Four more matches in the series against New Zealand remain, followed by a match against Sri Lanka at the end of the year.
