World Cup 2023: 'Very few are built like Virat Kohli!' Cricket legend admits his love for star Indian batter

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Virat Kohli has finally returned to his young self at the ICC World Cup 2023 as the Indian batter has been a run-scoring spree in the tournament and just matched Sachin Tendulkar's unbelievable record of 49 ODI centuries. His performance has left cricket legend Sir Viv Richards in awe of the modern-day great.

Viv Richards wrote in his column for ICC that he has always been a fan of Virat Kohli and deeply admires the enthusiasm the cricketer shows on the field while putting him right next to Sachin Tendulkar among cricket legends.

"I have been thoroughly enjoying the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and I am highly impressed with some of the performances on show," wrote Viv. "There have been a whole host of talented individuals on show but to top them all, you cannot look past Virat Kohli. I am a huge fan of Virat, I have been for a long time, and he continues to show why he has to go down as one of the all-time greats, right up there with the likes of the great Sachin."

The 71-year-old Caribbean great, who lifted the World Cup twice with the legendary West Indies team in the 70s-80s, further praised the team management for backing Virat Kohli through thick and thin while mentioning that the Indian batter is built in a different mould.

"Credit must be given to the backroom staff and everyone who backed him. So much was said about his form but he is back on top of his game. They say form is temporary -- and he has certainly proven that class is permanent.

"Virat is a go-getter and what sets him apart is his mental strength. He will have backed himself throughout, and on the occasions in the past in which I have chatted with him and we have discussed things, his mental strength has always been evident. That has been key to pushing him through to how he is playing now. Very few players, or people, are built like that."