February 23, 2025, was a day to be remembered for Indian cricket as they registered a comprehensive six-wicket victory over Pakistan in Match 5 of the current ICC Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Having bowled Pakistan out for 241, Virat Kohli played a masterclass innings, guiding the chase with an unbeaten century, reasserting his status as one of cricket’s greatest chasers.
Ex-cricketer turned commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu pointed out an equally heartwarming moment off the field—Rohit Sharma’s unstoppable elation in the dugout when his old teammate scored his 51st century in ODIs. Sidhu pointed out how this moment was a tribute to the bonding and cohesion within the Indian team. He underscored that such a team environment, founded on cooperation and shared success, would be the pillar on which future generations would rely after Kohli and Rohit ultimately pass on the torch.
“Greater than what Virat Kohli did, what I observed today was the grin of Rohit Sharma when Kohli made that century. No person can whistle a symphony—it is an orchestra that plays it. It is a team game, and if the team feels proud of a fellow cricketer’s achievement, that is terrific,” Navjot Singh Sidhu said to Star Sports. “This union, this solidarity, is what will propel Indian cricket ahead when these legends retire in a few years’ time.”
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Sidhu further elaborated on Kohli’s brilliance, dissecting his batting style and the impact he has had on Indian cricket. He pointed out that every great batter has a signature shot—Sachin Tendulkar’s backfoot punch, Sunil Gavaskar’s straight drive, and Kohli, it’s his picture-perfect cover drive. Sidhu noted that when Kohli executes this stroke with precision, it signals that he is back in top form.
“When you see Virat Kohli playing cover-drives with authority, you know that he is playing his best cricket. That is his signature. At the start of his innings, the manner in which he played those drives, it was evident—this is the Virat Kohli of yesteryears,” Navjot Singh Sidhu said.
Apart from his approach, Sidhu praised Kohli for his resolve and mental grit in the face of pressure and referred to him as a “Kohinoor” of the cricket fraternity. He accentuated how Kohli excels in high-stakes run chases, indicating his record figure—99 games with an average of 89.6 during successful run chases. It is this potential to accept difficulties and perform well in times of need, claimed Sidhu, that makes Kohli a generation-defining cricketer.
“Those are the cricketers who motivate children on the streets, who take the game forward. Cricket has to grow if it has role models above everything else. And that’s what Virat Kohli is. He doesn’t play the game—he raises it,” Navjot Singh Sidhu added.
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India’s triumph further affirms their supremacy over Pakistan in ODI cricket. Ever since their agonising defeat in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, India has beaten their rivals in five of their previous six matches (exempting a rain-out encounter). The victory in this match has informally earned India a semi-final berth, and they sent out a clear message to their competitors.
