Virat Kohli, one of the greatest batters in cricket history, has had the opportunity to compete against some of the most outstanding players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the years. The T20 league has seen many big names perform, such as MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Dwayne Bravo, and Suresh Raina.
Despite the presence of these accomplished players, Kohli found it challenging to name the greatest of all time (GOAT) when asked to do so. The Royal Challengers Bangalore star acknowledged the difficulty of the decision.
Kohli was faced with a challenging question, and as a result, he couldn’t single out one player as the GOAT. Instead, he named two players — AB de Villiers and Lasith Malinga.
Kohli shares a close relationship with De Villiers, as they played together during the South African’s time in the IPL. Kohli and De Villiers are still considered as two of the closest friends in the game.
De Villiers is considered one of the greatest finishers in cricket. Throughout his 184 IPL appearances, he has scored 5162 runs with an average of 39.71 and an impressive strike-rate of 151.69.
Malinga is widely regarded as the best death bowler in the history of the IPL, and his exceptional performances at the end of matches have often single-handedly won games for the Mumbai Indians.
During his entire IPL career, Malinga played only for the Mumbai Indians and managed to take 170 wickets in 122 matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.14. His ability to consistently take wickets and restrict the flow of runs in the latter stages of matches made him a valuable asset to the Mumbai Indians.
Meanwhile Virat Kohli holds the record for being the highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL with 6411 runs in 208 matches and counting. He has played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in every season of the league since its inception, showcasing his loyalty to the franchise.
