IPL 2016: Matthew Hayden calls Virat Kohli's aggressive personality as Australian-like

During his heydays, Matthew Hayden was akin to a club-wielding giant who demolished bowling attacks without any mercy. However, off the field, he is an affable personality who is extremely popular for his candid assessment of the game.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2016 CEAT Cricket Rating Awards, the 44-year old expressed his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s aggressive nature and even went on claim that the Indian star’s passion was similar to the Australian brand of cricket.

Amazed by Kohli’s impeccable consistency, Hayden remarked, “Virat Kohli is a special blend of consistency, power, his presence of mind, and his passion for the game. I think those elements are addictive in a personality.”

In the recently concluded IPL, the Royal Challengers skipper topped the batting charts by a huge distance. With 973 runs at an impressive average of 81.08 which included 11 fifty-plus scores, Kohli was virtually unstoppable throughout the season.

On the right-hander’s combative personality, Hayden asserted, “The game needs to have big personalities, big characters that allow the game and followers to almost polarize an audience. Cricket lovers like Kohli arguing with the umpires and engaging in sort of more combative style which is appropriate to Australian cricket.”

Even though Kohli has mellowed down over the years, he still retains an insatiable hunger to win. The powerful left-hander affirmed, “But that’s his (Kohli's) nature and we love that about him. We would love him for that and we do like people that way they are hard on their sleeves.”

One of the most marketable sportsmen in the world owing to his extensive popularity, Kohli seems to be growing in stature with every match. However, he still could not lay his hands on the IPL trophy which was clinched by David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad.

When asked about his countryman Warner, Hayden felt, “He is passionate, so determined, incredibly skillful and obviously more powerful than Virat.” The stalwart from Brisbane remains Australia’s most successful Test opener with 8625 runs from 103 matches.