Alastair Cook predicts the next big star in Indian cricket after Virat Kohli
When the legendary Sachin Tendulkar called it quits from the sport, it left a huge void in Indian cricket and filling his shoes was never going to be easy. However, Virat Kohli who was considered the next big thing in Indian cricket back then, just kept going about his business.
Virat Kohli carved out a reputation for himself as the best all-format batsman in the world. The right-handed batter has been constantly making waves with the bat, irrespective of the conditions. The veteran is 35 years old but taking his fitness into account, he still has a few good years of cricket left in him.
It is worth noting that he has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s overall tally of 49 centuries in One-Day Internationals. The senior pro unlocked the new feat during the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 when he brought up his 50th ODI century against South Africa.
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Alastair Cook picks the next big thing in Indian cricket
As things stand, the Indian think-tank has already been grooming youngsters who can be future stars. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and other young lads have been given opportunities now and then to showcase their talent.
Meanwhile, the former England captain, Alastair Cook has predicted Virat Kohli’s successor and he is none other than Shubman Gill. The young lad has proved to be a viable case for himself at the top-order and is touted to be the next big thing in Indian cricket.
Although he is yet to prove to be a big deal in Test cricket, he has been a worthy asset as far as the white-ball cricket is concerned. Cook reserved the highest respect for Gill for the way he expressed himself at No.3 in the second Test in Vizag, where he scored a century in the second innings, which is his third in Tests.
“Gill played beautifully. He has serious talent… and there was probably quite a lot of pressure on his shoulders. At the World Cup [in India], all the billboards were of Kohli, but he’s the next one they want to step into his shoes,” said Alastair Cook on TNT Sports as quoted by India Today.
“That’s a big thing to have the pressure of a country the size of India on your shoulders. As a young talent, that’s something that the likes of Tendulkar and Kohli have dealt with… and he now has to learn to deal with it,” he added.
