By Utkarsh Rathour
Dubai [UAE], October 14 (ANI): Former England all-rounder Samit Patel hailed Virat Kohli’s ability to pace a run chase and praised Rohit Sharma’s leadership and explosive batting, describing the two Indian stars as among the most exciting players to watch in the game.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026, Patel lauded Kohli after the Indian batter breached the 15,000-run mark in ODI cricket, highlighting his composure and ability to shift gears according to the demands of a match.
“King Kohli is the master of a chase. The composure that he’s got, the skill level he has, the ability to know when to go up and down the gears is absolute mastery. And Rohit Sharma again, the firepower he provides at the top for India and all the franchises he has played for, has been dynamic and great to watch. He is a powerful leader, one of India’s best leaders in my opinion. He’s the hitman!” Patel told ANI.
Patel also weighed in on the debate surrounding cricket’s ‘Fab Four’ coined by New Zealand legend Martin Crowe, stating that Kohli alongside England’s Joe Root, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Australia’s Steve Smith will always be on the list.
“For me, it’ll always be Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith,” he said.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be jointly hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, around a year away, Patel also named the teams he expects to reach the semi-finals.
“You can’t write off Australia. India will always be there. England, I think, will be there, and I wouldn’t write off South Africa either,” Patel said.
The former England cricketer also spoke about India’s teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, urging Indian cricket to give the youngster time to develop and learn from his mistakes rather than placing excessive expectations on him early in his career.
The 15-year-old left-handed batter has attracted attention for his aggressive strokeplay in the Indian Premier League and domestic cricket. Patel pointed to Sooryavanshi’s ability to take on high-quality fast bowlers as an indication of his potential.
“I just see Sooryavanshi as a young kid. He’s learning his trade. You must allow him the time to make errors. I know Indian cricket can be a little bit impatient at times. He’s only a kid, as I said. He must be backed. He’s got all the talent. We know that if a kid can come in and smash Jofra [Archer] from ball one, that goes very, very special. Make sure Indian cricket look after him,” Patel said.
Patel is currently representing England Champions in the WCL 2026. His team has won two of its four matches and sits second on the points table.
The side will face Australia Champions in their final league-stage match on Wednesday, with a victory guaranteeing them a place in the semi-finals.
Patel represented England in six Tests, 36 ODIs and 18 T20Is between 2008 and 2015. He also enjoyed a long domestic career with Nottinghamshire, making 629 appearances for the county over 22 years and contributing with both bat and ball. (ANI)
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