Virat Kohli ultimate ODI batter: Sachin, Sehwag, Sangakkara and other legends make his perfect XI
Virat Kohli has revealed his idea of the ultimate ODI batter, picking different legendary cricketers for specific batting skills. Sachin Tendulkar gets the straight drive, Virender Sehwag the cut shot, while Kumar Sangakkara, Rahul Dravid, Matthew Hayden, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers also make the fascinating list.
What would happen if you could take the best batting skills from some of the greatest cricketers ever and put them into one player? That was the interesting question put to Virat Kohli, and his answer has given cricket fans plenty to talk about.
Speaking to Star Sports ahead of India’s second ODI against West Indies in Guwahati, Kohli was asked to build his “ultimate ODI batter” by choosing different players for individual shots and skills. His selections included some of the biggest names in the history of the game.
There was little hesitation when the straight drive came up. Kohli immediately went for Sachin Tendulkar. For the cover drive, he selected former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara, while Rahul Dravid was his choice for the flick.
The cut shot went to Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden was picked for the sweep, and Chris Gayle was the obvious choice for six-hitting. Interestingly, when it came to running between the wickets, Kohli selected his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate AB de Villiers.
Sachin Tendulkar gets the straight drive
For Indian cricket fans, the first choice was perhaps the most predictable one.
When asked about the straight drive, Kohli chose Sachin Tendulkar. The shot has long been associated with Tendulkar’s classical batting style, particularly the way he presented the full face of the bat and drove the ball straight back past the bowler.
Kohli himself has spoken with enormous respect for Tendulkar throughout his career. The two also share an important place in India’s ODI history, with Tendulkar setting the benchmark for one-day run-scoring before Kohli emerged as one of the format’s most prolific batters.
Tendulkar remains the leading run-scorer in ODI history with 18,426 runs, while Kohli has moved into second place.
Kumar Sangakkara for the cover drive
Kohli’s selection for the cover drive was Kumar Sangakkara.
The former Sri Lanka captain was one of the most elegant left-handed batters of his generation. His balance, timing and ability to find gaps through the off side made the cover drive a particularly attractive part of his batting.
Sangakkara also finished his ODI career with more than 14,000 runs, placing him among the most successful batters the format has produced.
It is an interesting choice because Kohli’s own cover drive is one of the most recognisable shots in modern cricket. Rather than choosing himself, however, he handed the skill to another former international captain.
Rahul Dravid gets the flick
For the flick shot, Kohli went with Rahul Dravid.
Dravid is generally remembered for his defensive technique, patience and outstanding Test career, but his batting repertoire was much broader than the “Wall” tag suggested. His ability to use his wrists and work the ball into the leg side made him a natural selection for this particular skill.
Kohli’s choice also highlights the point of the exercise: this wasn’t necessarily about choosing the greatest overall batter. Instead, it was about identifying a specialist for each individual part of an imaginary batting package.
Virender Sehwag’s cut makes the list
When the cut shot came up, Kohli selected Virender Sehwag.
That choice feels perfectly suited to Sehwag’s attacking personality. The former India opener was famous for putting pressure on bowlers from the very beginning of an innings, particularly when he found width outside off stump.
Sehwag’s ODI career included 8,273 runs, with his aggressive approach helping redefine how India could attack during the opening overs.
His inclusion also gives Kohli’s imaginary batter another dimension: the ability to punish anything short or wide with immediate intent.
Matthew Hayden gets the sweep
Kohli took a few seconds before deciding on the sweep shot, describing the choice as difficult, before eventually selecting Australia’s Matthew Hayden.
Hayden was one of Australia’s most destructive opening batters and was particularly powerful against spin. His physical strength allowed him to attack the ball aggressively, making the sweep an obvious weapon in his batting arsenal.
The choice of Hayden adds another left-handed option to Kohli’s ultimate batter and brings a very different style compared with the technically classical selections of Tendulkar and Sangakkara.
Chris Gayle for six-hitting
For pure six-hitting ability, Kohli didn’t look too far.
He chose Chris Gayle.
The West Indies great built a reputation around enormous hitting, particularly against bowlers who missed their lengths. Gayle’s ability to clear boundaries with minimal apparent effort made him one of the most feared power hitters of his generation.
There is also a personal connection here. Gayle and Kohli were teammates at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, giving Kohli the opportunity to see the Jamaican’s power from close range.
If the imaginary batter needs someone to turn a good ball into a six, Gayle is certainly a fascinating selection.
AB de Villiers chosen over MS Dhoni for running
Perhaps the most interesting selection came when Kohli was asked about running between the wickets.
Instead of choosing himself or another Indian great, Kohli picked AB de Villiers.
The decision is particularly notable because MS Dhoni was also among the names considered for the skill. Kohli instead went with his former RCB teammate and close friend.
De Villiers was known for athleticism and exceptional awareness on the cricket field. His ability to convert ones into twos and put pressure on fielders was an important part of his overall game.
It also fits the larger idea behind Kohli’s selections. A perfect ODI batter isn’t only about spectacular strokes. Running hard, finding gaps and constantly putting pressure on the opposition can be just as valuable in a 50-over innings.
Kohli’s ultimate ODI batter is a combination of eras
Put all the choices together and Kohli’s imaginary batter looks quite extraordinary.
Straight drive: Sachin Tendulkar
Cover drive: Kumar Sangakkara
Flick: Rahul Dravid
Cut: Virender Sehwag
Sweep: Matthew Hayden
Six-hitting: Chris Gayle
Running between wickets: AB de Villiers
What’s striking is that the list covers several generations of international cricket. Tendulkar and Dravid represent one era of Indian batting, Sehwag brought explosive aggression, Sangakkara and Hayden add two different styles of left-handed strokeplay, while Gayle and de Villiers represent the modern power-hitting era.
And there is an obvious connection to Kohli himself.
Kohli has built one of the strongest ODI records in the history of the format. His effectiveness in 50-over cricket has often been linked to his ability to rotate the strike, find boundaries, pace an innings and accelerate when required. The Indian Express previously noted that Kohli’s ODI strength has been his ability to understand what a particular match situation demands.
That makes his choices even more interesting. Instead of simply naming his favourite players, Kohli effectively created a batting blueprint combining elegance, power, versatility and athleticism.
For cricket fans, the debate will now be about which other players could have made the cut. Would Rohit Sharma be an option for six-hitting? Could MS Dhoni challenge for running between the wickets? What about Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting or AB de Villiers for some of the strokes?
There is no single correct answer because every generation has produced players with unique strengths. That is precisely what makes Kohli’s list so entertaining.
For now, his perfect ODI batter belongs to seven legends: Tendulkar’s straight drive, Sangakkara’s cover drive, Dravid’s flick, Sehwag’s cut, Hayden’s sweep, Gayle’s sixes and de Villiers’ running.
It is difficult to argue with the entertainment value of that combination.
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