Mumbai, May 31: Former Australian batsman Matthew Hayden today heaped praise on Virat Kohli, saying that the current India Test skipper is a special blend of consistency and power while batting.

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"Virat is a special blend of consistency, power, his presence of mind, and his passion for the game. I think those elements are addictive in a personality," Hayden told reporters here.

Kohli, who is in his form of life, scored over 900 runs in the recently concluded IPL, which included four hundreds, but ended on the losing side last night after the Royal Challengers Bangalore lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the summit clash.

Hayden, known for his aggression during his playing days, was present for the Ceat Cricket Rating awards function here.

"The game needs to have big personalities, big characters that allow the game and followers to almost polarise an audience. Cricket lovers like Kohli arguing with the umpires and engaging in sort of more combative style which is appropriate to Australian cricket," Hayden said.

"But his (Kohli's) nature and we love that about him. We would love him for that and we do like people that way they are hard on their sleeves," said the former opening batsman.

Hayden described his compatriot and opener David Warner as "passionate, so determined, incredibly skillful and obviously more powerful than Virat".

PTI