'They Want To Watch This Guy Play': Charismatic Virat Kohli Compared To Cristiano Ronaldo And Lionel Messi

Virat Kohli’s stellar ODI career is a testament to his success. The 36 year old has been a phenomenon in limited over cricket and his performance in ICC knockout games will once again face a stern test in the Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand on Sunday.

Virat has shown his glimpses of brilliance with a sensational ton against Pakistan followed by a valiant 84 against Australia in the CT 2025 final. Despite hitting the twilight period of his career the 36 year old hasn’t show any kind of restraint on the pitch and has been one of the most fittest athletes.

Also Read: India vs New Zealand LIVE Cricket Score, Champions Trophy Final 2025

Ravi Shastri has hailed Virat’s continuous efforts to shape up his game on the pitch. On the ICC Review, the former Indian coach has compared the RCB star’s energy with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Novak Djokovic.

He said, “You know people (like to) watch sport when they watch a sportsman with energy.

“Whether his name is (Cristiano) Ronaldo or it's (Lionel) Messi or whether it’s a (Novak) Djokovic or whether it's (Rafael) Nadal, that energy that they bring in – there’s a certain kind of charisma and it rubs off on other people. They want to watch this guy play.”

Also Read: IND vs NZ: Rohit Sharma's Future In ODI Cricket Likely To Depend On The Outcome Of Champions Trophy 2025 Final, Here's Why

Coming to the match, New Zealand won the toss and captain Mitchell Santner decided to bat first. Matt Henry misses out on a place, and Nathan Smith replaces him in the starting XI.

Rohit Sharma named the same XI which got the better of Australia in the Champions Trophy semifinal. If the Men In Blue manage to defeat the BlackCaps, Rohit would become the second Indian captain after MS Dhoni to win more than one ICC trophies.