After drawing comparisons with football great Cristiano Ronaldo, RCB and India captain Virat Kohli has been equated to tennis legend Rafael Nadal by Australia's Trent Woodhill, who has worked as part of the coaching staff of RCB.
"AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli are like the Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of cricket in their skills and approach," Woodhill said talking to icc-cricket.com.
Incidentally, both Kohli and De Villiers play for the RCB in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and occupy the top two spots on the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Rankings for batsmen in ODIs.
“Kohli is the most impressive sportsman I’ve had the pleasure to work with in any sport...His approach to his own cricketing career and everything involved around it is extremely professional.
“He’s definitely fitter than he’s ever been. What that allows you to do is under pressure, you’re able to replicate technique and replicate movement patterns. So he’s less likely than others to play a lazy shot or not execute the way he’d like because his fitness and his mind is so sharp. And that’s where that brilliance lies," Woodhill explained.
Like Federer and Nadal, the two cricket greats share a strong camaraderie while also being fierce opponents when representing their countries on the field.
Woodhill said it's tough to pick any one of them as the best.
“It’s tough to pick who is the best of them. AB and Federer share a similar DNA, I think, and the same with Nadal and Kohli.
“The point’s never dead for Nadal, and the point’s never dead for Virat. And AB, he finds a way as Federer does, in conditions where others struggle,” the Australian added.
Only 24 hours earlier, West Indies and CSK allrounder Dwayne Bravo had called Kohli the Ronaldo of cricket.
"When I see Virat, I see Cristiano Ronaldo of cricket," Bravo had said.
