Rohit Sharma is better batsman than Virat Kohli at the moment: Sandeep Patil

New Delhi, Dec 25: At a time when fans are busy talking about the sensational year Indian skipper and batting mainstay Virat Kohli had and that he was a complete batsman of the outgoing year.

But, former India chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil feels it is Kohli's deputy in the limited-overs format Rohit Sharma is better than the former at the moment.

Rohit led the Indian side in the absence of Kohli as Men In Blue convincingly won the ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka. Team India clinched ODI series 2-1, while clean swept the T20I series 3-0.

There we go - joint fastest T20 hundred. An in-form Rohit Sharma is probably the most dangerous limited overs batsman in the world. #INDvSL

— Chinmay Bhogle (@chinmaybhogle) December 22, 2017

Leading his team from the front, Rohit slammed third double hundred in ODIs with his epochal knock of unbeaten 208 in the 2nd ODI at Mohali. Only a week later in the second T20I, the Mumbai batsman slammed joint-fastest century in the shortest format of the game.

Rohit Sharma has hit 38 sixes against Sri Lanka in 2017 across all formats, the most hit by any batsman against a particular opponent in a calendar year.
Previous record: 33 sixes by Chris Gayle against New Zealand in 2012.#IndvSL

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 24, 2017

Rohit notched up his second T20I ton off just 35-balls to equal South African David Miller's record.

"Virat Kohli fans might not like it but I have to say Rohit Sharma is currently the better batsman," Sandeep Patil told ABP News.

Explaining why he rates Rohit over Kohli, Patil said, "Virat is definitely a great batsman, no doubt about it. He is India's best Test batsman but when it comes to limited overs cricket, Rohit is ahead of him."

Rohit has had a phenomenal 2017 in the limited-overs format as he scored 1293 runs from 21 ODIs at an average of 71.83. The Mumbaikar, who smashed international 64 sixes in this year - most by any batsman in a year, slammed six centuries and 5 fifties.

Most sixes in int'l cricket in a year:
64 ROHIT SHARMA (2017)
63 AB de Villiers (2015)
59 Chris Gayle (2012)
57 Shane Watson (2011)
56 Shahid Afridi (2005)#INDvSL #INDvsSL #SLvIND

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) December 22, 2017

Rohit has also accumulated 283 runs from 9 T20I games, including a top-class century. He batted at a strike rate of 171.51 in this year.

Rohit's innings today:
0 0 4 0 4 0 / 1 / 1 / 6 0 1 / 4 0 4 6 1 / 1 4 1 / 4 4 1 / 6 6 4 4 / 1 1 4/ 0 6 6 6 6 / 4 0 0 0 1 / 6 4 6 w

118 runs off 43 balls
10 sixes
12 fours
10 singles
11 dots#INDvSL #INDvsSL #SLvIND

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) December 22, 2017

"I'm sure Virat' going to come back from break and score lots of runs in South Africa but when we talk about limited overs cricket this year, Rohit has been unbelievable. People may say he has played more matches against Sri Lanka but so has Virat. Whether he is playing only as a batsman or as captain Rohit has proved he is best at the moment." Patil added further.

Well, certainly there can be no comparison between Virat and Rohit but Patil's observation towards the latter couldn't be junked for Rohit has ticked every single checkbox and grabbed the opportunity with open hands.

The Hitman has proven time and again that he's one of the most destructive batter in the world cricket who's capable of hitting sixes at will, just like Mr 360 AB de Villiers and Universe Boss Chris Gayle.