One more time: Kohli vs Williamson
Dubai: Of late, when Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson meet, they tend to find time between cricket to discuss family, life and sport. They may do that again when their paths cross in training ahead of Sunday’s Champions Trophy final in Dubai.
Whether it was their tete-a-tete before the inaugural World Test Championship final or their warm embrace after, these are the kind of engagements players miss once their time is up.
“Very similar mindsets, very similar philosophies. He’s just a really nice guy, and we got along well, we’ve known each other for a while. It’s amazing to know that in different parts of the world you are thinking the same things, talking the same language and heading in the right direction,” Kohli once said about Williamson.
Sportspersons in their mid-30s know every big tournament they play could well be their last. And these are generational greats who have topped the batting charts over the years are now in the twilight of their careers. Only the other day, Steve Smith called time on his ODI career. He seemed to tell Kohli at the end of the semi-final, before the announcement was emailed, the next day, by Cricket Australia to the wider world.
Kohli was by Smith’s side, directing the largely Indian crowd at the Oval in the 2019 World Cup, not to taunt the former Australian captain for his past mistakes. Kohli and Williamson enjoy the same camaraderie and mutual respect.
By the time the next Champions Trophy comes around, Kohli would be 40, Williamson, 38. Even the next ODI World Cup is another two years away. It’s tough to bet on an elite athlete’s finish line but staying at the top gets to you.
When they catch up, they might talk about their youth. Williamson wouldn’t forget, nor would Kohli let him, how he, the wrong-footed medium pacer, got the former stumped in the U19 World Cup semi-final, seventeen summers ago.
They were both captaining their sides, even then. With above-average age-group cricketers, talent spotters generally know, they will make good leaders of men.
Williamson-led New Zealand to that WTC final in 2021. Kohli was part of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup winning team. Funnily enough, they haven’t won an ODI title of late, the format suits both of them. Kohli had won a couple of ICC titles – 2011 ODI World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy – early in his career. Williamson came close to winning the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Both are coming into the final on the back of some big runs. Williamson stroked a 100 in the semi-final against South Africa and an 81 before that against India. Kohli’s 84 was instrumental in India’s semi-final win over Australia. His unbeaten 100 against Pakistan came only last week.
This tournament, Kohli and Williamson have similar scoring rates (83.1 as against 85.9), but Kohli’s runs have come without taking undue risks. Williamson played many a scoop shot against South Africa. It’s a shot he has added to his repertoire as T20 has grown to become the pre-eminent format. It’s only served to enhance his white-ball game.
One reason Kohli has stayed unchanged is the quality of batters he has around him. Shubman Gill bats before him and Shreyas Iyer after. Both have been batting at their best. Iyer has bossed spinners in the middle overs so well, that Kohli has chosen to stick to his bread-and-butter singles and twos. Interestingly, without hitting a six, he is India’s leading run-scorer in the tournament.
Kohli has scored equal runs against pace and spin, but his more attacking shots have come against pace. “It’s all dependent on the conditions; the pitch tells me how the cricket needs to be played and I just switch on and play accordingly,” he said after the Australia match.
What Kohli does best is to absorb pressure. Lesser players freeze when the asking rate mounts and the win is still some distance away. Not getting flustered in a run chase, self-awareness before taking risks, leaving ego aside to step back when the partner is going strong are traits that have become second nature for Kohli.
“When, as a batsman, you start taking pride in hitting those singles into the gaps, that’s when you know you’re playing good cricket, and you know you’re in for a big partnership, settle the nerves down a little bit, and head towards chasing the total down,” Kohli said after the semi-final.
Even Williamson would love to take a leaf out of Kohli’s batting manual in a run chase. If the New Zealander were to go about chasing the Indian total again, like last week, he would want to cut down on dot balls. He would probably also want the big hitters around him like Daryl Mitchell to try and take the attack to India much earlier. Williamson and New Zealand have got a second crack and set things right.
“Regardless of whether it’s my last or not, that’d be nice, wouldn’t it? It’s a final, so it’s exciting,” Williamson said. Kohli wouldn’t be thinking any differently.
