"A lot of people will say it does not matter" - Brian Lara hails Virat Kohli's 2023 World Cup performances

Former West Indies legendary batter Brian Lara lauded star Indian batter Virat Kohli for the incredible 2023 World Cup he had as a batter. Kohli scored a staggering 765 runs from 11 games, making it the highest tally by a player in any edition of the tournament.

Lara understands that after losing the final, the general morale among Indians will be low. However, he explained why Kohli's success as an individual needed to be looked at as an inspiration.

While presenting the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture at The Bhawanipur Education Society College, here's what Brian Lara had to say about Virat Kohli:

"First of all, for Virat Kohli... I know a lot of people will say or have already said that it (Kohli’s performance) does not matter as India did not win the World Cup. Team sport is about winning and you, as an individual player, have to have that as your No.1 target. But a subsidiary of team success is individual success, and that is what Kohli has given India match after match throughout the World Cup. What impresses me most about Kohli is his true legacy... For, he has changed the face of cricket and how you prepare for the game. The discipline that he has stands out, always."

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Brian Lara on Virat Kohli idolizing Sachin Tendulkar

Legends like Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar were in their prime when Virat Kohli was a child aspiring to be a cricketer. The right-hander has been pretty vocal about how he has always idolized Tendulkar and Lara explained why it was perhaps fitting that Kohli chose the legendary Indian batter over him.

On this, Lara stated:

"Being the superstar that he is and the legacy that I feel he can leave, Kohli woke up one day, turned on the television and there was a left-hander on the screen facing the English bowling (referring to himself). But as in India, there are 100-odd channels and he came across a right-hander masterly putting together an innings. And Kohli looked to the mirror and said, 'Left-hand batting isn't for me. See that man on the screen there. That is the footsteps I look to follow in.' Who's that man? Sachin Tendulkar."

Virat Kohli will be back in action during the two Tests to be played against South Africa beginning in the last week of December.